Senior accounting clerk vs accounting analyst

The differences between senior accounting clerks and accounting analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior accounting clerk, becoming an accounting analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an accounting analyst has an average salary of $58,399, which is higher than the $46,531 average annual salary of a senior accounting clerk.

The top three skills for a senior accounting clerk include data entry, general ledger accounts and reconciliations. The most important skills for an accounting analyst are reconciliations, customer service, and account reconciliations.

Senior accounting clerk vs accounting analyst overview

	Senior Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Yearly salary	$46,531	$58,399
Hourly rate	$22.37	$28.08
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	82,627	81,097
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	51	44
Years of experience	6	4

What does a senior accounting clerk do?

Senior Accounting Clerks lead in a complex set of work staff and are responsible for performing governmental fund accounting that involves reporting and financial record keeping. They are responsible for resolving discrepancies, verifying and auditing financial reports, and inputting data into their financial accounting system. They must know methods of verifying and reconciling accounting records, accounts payable and receivable, and how to familiarize themselves with their firm's financial accounting software. They must also be skilled in handling large sums of cash with integrity and making manual arithmetical calculations with speed and accuracy.

What does an accounting analyst do?

An accounting analyst is responsible for supporting the accounting operations of an organization, analyzing financial transactions and financial statements, and resolving account discrepancies. Accounting analysts interpret financial data by consolidating account transactions, performing account reconciliation, and managing account receivables. They also assist in preparing and releasing invoices, issuing billing statements, and creating comprehensive financial reports on the company's budget and expenses. An accounting analyst must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles and disciplines, as well as extensive analytical and communication skills to perform duties and meet deadlines under minimal supervision.

Senior accounting clerk vs accounting analyst salary

Senior accounting clerks and accounting analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Average salary	$46,531	$58,399
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $64,000	Between $42,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Encore Capital Group	Google
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between senior accounting clerk and accounting analyst education

There are a few differences between a senior accounting clerk and an accounting analyst in terms of educational background:

	Senior Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Senior accounting clerk vs accounting analyst demographics

Here are the differences between senior accounting clerks' and accounting analysts' demographics:

	Senior Accounting Clerk	Accounting Analyst
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 18.0% Female, 82.0%	Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between senior accounting clerk and accounting analyst duties and responsibilities

Senior accounting clerk example responsibilities.

Manage payroll general ledger accounts including account reconciliations and monthly accruals.
Implement premium accounting statistical reports of all monies collect, including return items and general accounting from bank reconciliations.
Process ACH payments in accordance with company deadlines.
Cross train on many functions within the ACH department.
Monitor and clear holding accounts daily using PeopleSoft; prepare journals as necessary.
Assist with monthly, quarterly, and yearly closing processes, including accruals.

Accounting analyst example responsibilities.

Manage and process all ACH, EFT and wire transfer transactions daily (debit or credits).
Manage reconciling monthly discrepancies between ERP transfers.
Manage budget submissions by subsidiaries in Europe/AFNE region in Hyperion.
Establish investment objectives to efficiently manage IPO proceeds within state risk parameters.
Maintain accounting controls by following GAAP and internal accounting policies; maintain financial security by following internal controls.
Review and approve monthly general ledger and bank account reconciliations for special condition accounts to ensure procedural consistency and compliance.

Senior accounting clerk vs accounting analyst skills

Common senior accounting clerk skills

Data Entry, 10%
General Ledger Accounts, 9%
Reconciliations, 8%
Senior Accounting, 7%
Purchase Orders, 7%
Credit Card Payments, 5%

Common accounting analyst skills

Reconciliations, 12%
Customer Service, 7%
Account Reconciliations, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Strong Analytical, 4%
Payroll, 4%

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Senior Accounting Clerk vs Accounting Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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