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The differences between portfolio accountants and senior staff 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 staff accountant. Additionally, a portfolio accountant has an average salary of $69,877, which is higher than the $65,019 average annual salary of a senior staff accountant.
The top three skills for a portfolio accountant include reconciliations, financial reports and real estate. The most important skills for a senior staff accountant are reconciliations, account reconciliations, and CPA.
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Staff Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $69,877 | $65,019 |
| Hourly rate | $33.59 | $31.26 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 41,323 | 112,760 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| 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 senior staff accountant is responsible for managing the accounting operations of the company's accounting department, reconciling accounts, and finalizing financial reports to discuss with the management. Senior staff accountants resolve account discrepancies, analyze the company's financial status, and verify financial transactions. They must have excellent analytical skills and extensive knowledge of the accounting principles to perform accounting duties that would minimize the financial risk of the company. A senior staff accountant provides strategic recommendations to prevent overspending and increase efficiency across all departments to drive more revenues and profits.
Portfolio accountants and senior staff accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Staff Accountant | |
| Average salary | $69,877 | $65,019 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $102,000 | Between $48,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | AQR Capital Management | Calumet Specialty Products Partners |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between a portfolio accountant and a senior staff accountant in terms of educational background:
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Staff 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 senior staff accountants' demographics:
| Portfolio Accountant | Senior Staff Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| 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, 8.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.1% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |