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The differences between portfolio accountants and senior 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 senior accountant. Additionally, a senior accountant has an average salary of $71,967, which is higher than the $69,877 average annual salary of a portfolio accountant.
The top three skills for a portfolio accountant include reconciliations, financial reports and real estate. The most important skills for a senior accountant are reconciliations, CPA, and GAAP.
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $69,877 | $71,967 |
| Hourly rate | $33.59 | $34.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 41,323 | 76,816 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| 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 senior accountant is responsible for organizing financial reports, analyzing cost estimates, reviewing budget goals regularly, and making adjustments with the company's account statements as necessary. Senior accountants' duties also include managing account reconciliations, preparing tax documents, maintaining audit records and balance sheets, generating invoices, and providing recommendations to minimize possible financial loss. A senior accountant must have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills and extensive knowledge of accounting and financial principles.
Portfolio accountants and senior accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Accountant | |
| Average salary | $69,877 | $71,967 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $102,000 | Between $55,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | AQR Capital Management | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a portfolio accountant and a senior accountant in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between portfolio accountants' and senior accountants' demographics:
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% | Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 14.5% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |