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The differences between junior accountants and general accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a junior accountant and a general accountant. Additionally, a general accountant has an average salary of $55,043, which is higher than the $50,444 average annual salary of a junior accountant.
The top three skills for a junior accountant include reconciliations, general ledger accounts and account reconciliations. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.
| Junior Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,444 | $55,043 |
| Hourly rate | $24.25 | $26.46 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,892 | 87,663 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Junior accountants maintain the financial records of companies through the analysis of their general ledger accounts and balance sheets. The accountant's post journal entries, maintain accounts receivable and payable, and update financial statements. They pay payroll every month, reconcile ledgers, and submit payroll taxes. The skills necessary for this job include analytical skills, problem-solving, information confidentiality, and proficiency in accounting software and technology. They are also expected to be detail-oriented.
A general accountant is responsible for evaluating account statements, conducting data analysis with financial transactions, and generating reports on revenues, expenses, and sales forecasting. These accountants manage discrepancies on the company and clients' profiles, including bank reconciliations and processing of account receivables and payables. They also handle the release of invoices and petty cash, analyzing balance sheets, and updating accurate financial information on the database. A general accountant must have excellent analytical skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines.
Junior accountants and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Average salary | $50,444 | $55,043 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $66,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Fuhu | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a junior accountant and a general accountant in terms of educational background:
| Junior Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between junior accountants' and general accountants' demographics:
| Junior Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4% | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 13.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |