Post job

Project accountant vs senior tax accountant

The differences between project accountants and senior tax 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 senior tax accountant. Additionally, a senior tax accountant has an average salary of $77,537, which is higher than the $60,467 average annual salary of a project accountant.

The top three skills for a project accountant include reconciliations, project management and contract terms. The most important skills for a senior tax accountant are CPA, state income, and tax research.

Project accountant vs senior tax accountant overview

Project AccountantSenior Tax Accountant
Yearly salary$60,467$77,537
Hourly rate$29.07$37.28
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs43,67257,686
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a project accountant do?

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.

What does a senior tax accountant do?

Senior Tax Accountants recommend tax strategies, as well as assist the preparation of federal, state, and local taxes. They contact clients to resolve minor tax issues and work with the senior tax manager to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local tax legislation.

Project accountant vs senior tax accountant salary

Project accountants and senior tax accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Project AccountantSenior Tax Accountant
Average salary$60,467$77,537
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $79,000Between $60,000 And $99,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew York
Best paying companyPerficientRiverbed Holdings, Inc.
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between project accountant and senior tax accountant education

There are a few differences between a project accountant and a senior tax accountant in terms of educational background:

Project AccountantSenior Tax Accountant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorAccountingAccounting
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Southern California

Project accountant vs senior tax accountant demographics

Here are the differences between project accountants' and senior tax accountants' demographics:

Project AccountantSenior Tax Accountant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 36.8% Female, 63.2%Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4%
Race ratioBlack 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, 8.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Asian, 14.3% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between project accountant and senior tax accountant duties and responsibilities

Project accountant example responsibilities.

  • Maintain general ledgers, manage cash flow, prepare financial statements and bank reconciliations for multiple development and construction projects.
  • Assure timely accurate filing of all Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance claims.
  • Review the collection of Medicare, Medicaid and other receivables to ensure monthly goals are met.
  • Used DelTek to find discrepancies in employee charge hours.
  • Serve as major contributor in system conversion to new web-base ERP system.
  • Identify and rectify accounting errors that have incurred in the past and ensure adherence to IFRS.
  • Show more

Senior tax accountant example responsibilities.

  • Research technical topics in taxation to present to the tax department and clients on areas of concern in the IRS code.
  • Participate in monthly accounting close with preparation and ownership of tax accrual journal entries and reconciliations.
  • Help implement, and maintain federal and state tax provision information into OneSource.
  • Work with internal and external resources to ensure implementation of CCH software on shopping cart is successful.
  • Assist and review the maintenance of the OneSource database relative to coding & mapping of the trial balance.
  • Conduct research with CCH and RIA on tax exposures, savings, refund, recovery, and credits.
  • Show more

Project accountant vs senior tax accountant skills

Common project accountant skills
  • Reconciliations, 8%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Contract Terms, 5%
  • Purchase Orders, 4%
  • Deltek, 4%
  • Revenue Recognition, 4%
Common senior tax accountant skills
  • CPA, 14%
  • State Income, 5%
  • Tax Research, 5%
  • Income Tax Returns, 4%
  • Tax Planning, 4%
  • Tax Compliance, 4%

Browse business and financial jobs