Public accountant vs chartered accountant

The differences between public accountants and chartered 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 public accountant and a chartered accountant. Additionally, a chartered accountant has an average salary of $65,776, which is higher than the $58,843 average annual salary of a public accountant.

The top three skills for a public accountant include CPA, real estate and audit procedures. The most important skills for a chartered accountant are internal audit, financial statements, and income tax returns.

Public accountant vs chartered accountant overview

	Public Accountant	Chartered Accountant
Yearly salary	$58,843	$65,776
Hourly rate	$28.29	$31.62
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	46,295	33,005
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Public accountant vs chartered accountant salary

Public accountants and chartered accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Public Accountant	Chartered Accountant
Average salary	$58,843	$65,776
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $80,000	Between $42,000 And $102,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	New York	-
Best paying company	Citi	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between public accountant and chartered accountant education

There are a few differences between a public accountant and a chartered accountant in terms of educational background:

	Public Accountant	Chartered Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Public accountant vs chartered accountant demographics

Here are the differences between public accountants' and chartered accountants' demographics:

	Public Accountant	Chartered Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0%	Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 18.1% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between public accountant and chartered accountant duties and responsibilities

Public accountant example responsibilities.

Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Perform write-ups, analysis of general ledger, adjusting journal entries and reconciliations.
Ensure accuracy and completeness of write-ups and monthly bank reconciliations.
Handle tax matters with the IRS for clients and business owners.
Assist clients with IRS correspondence, accounting and recording business transactions.
Collaborate in the resolution of taxation disputes with federal, state and local tax agencies.

Chartered accountant example responsibilities.

Manage the review, enhancement, and creation of department policy and procedure documentation require for Sarbanes-Oxley auditing and compliance.
Provision of professional and timely taxation advice and services to clients.
Monitor deposits and withdrawals of revenue and expenses, review payroll, and ensure accurate processing and timely bank reconciliations.
Monitor bond and covenant requirements, providing tax return and audit information to external contacts.

Public accountant vs chartered accountant skills

Common public accountant skills

CPA, 17%
Real Estate, 9%
Audit Procedures, 9%
Financial Statement Preparation, 7%
Payroll Tax, 6%
Partnerships, 5%

Common chartered accountant skills

Internal Audit, 33%
Financial Statements, 14%
Income Tax Returns, 11%
Balance Sheet, 6%
Audit Reports, 5%
Tax Audits, 5%

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Public Accountant vs Chartered Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

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