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The differences between project 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 project accountant and a general accountant. Additionally, a project accountant has an average salary of $60,467, which is higher than the $55,043 average annual salary of a general accountant.
The top three skills for a project accountant include reconciliations, project management and contract terms. The most important skills for a general accountant are financial data, reconciliations, and cash handling.
| Project Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $60,467 | $55,043 |
| Hourly rate | $29.07 | $26.46 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 43,672 | 87,663 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A project accountant is primarily in charge of overseeing the budget and expenditures allocated for various projects within a company. Their responsibilities revolve around reviewing financial data and work plans, managing billing and financial reports, monitoring the flow of revenue, filing purchase orders and invoices, and processing payments to subcontractors, suppliers, and more. It is also vital to coordinate with all managing personnel to prepare necessary reports such as costs and taxes. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain data and records of all transactions, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Project accountants and general accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Average salary | $60,467 | $55,043 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $79,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Perficient | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project accountant and a general accountant in terms of educational background:
| Project Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between project accountants' and general accountants' demographics:
| Project Accountant | General Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 12.3% White, 63.5% 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% |