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The differences between portfolio accountants and cost 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 portfolio accountant and a cost accountant. Additionally, a portfolio accountant has an average salary of $69,877, which is higher than the $60,528 average annual salary of a cost accountant.
The top three skills for a portfolio accountant include reconciliations, financial reports and real estate. The most important skills for a cost accountant are reconciliations, variance analysis, and GAAP.
| Portfolio Accountant | Cost Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $69,877 | $60,528 |
| Hourly rate | $33.59 | $29.10 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 41,323 | 39,925 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Portfolio accountants must have effective communication and time management skills in addition to a bachelor's degree in accounting. They maintain and improve processes and systems by keeping and compiling records on monthly and quarterly reports. They also prepare financial statements, assist in fund pricing, and calculate losses, profits, and net asset values.
A cost accountant specializes in determining the total cost incurred by a company from producing goods and services. Through the various financial data they collect, the cost accountant will devise plans and strategies that will be a vital factor in the next budget and marketing preparations of a company. Aside from this, a cost accountant is responsible for various tasks such as conducting research and analysis in different areas, keeping financial records and inventory, producing financial reports involving profitability and expenditures, and proposing a budget and other financial plans.
Portfolio accountants and cost accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Accountant | Cost Accountant | |
| Average salary | $69,877 | $60,528 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $102,000 | Between $45,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Edison, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | AQR Capital Management | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between a portfolio accountant and a cost accountant in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Accountant | Cost Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between portfolio accountants' and cost accountants' demographics:
| Portfolio Accountant | Cost Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% | Male, 52.6% Female, 47.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 17.9% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 12.2% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |