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The differences between tax accountants and junior 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 tax accountant and a junior accountant. Additionally, a tax accountant has an average salary of $62,142, which is higher than the $50,444 average annual salary of a junior accountant.
The top three skills for a tax accountant include CPA, tax audits and income tax returns. The most important skills for a junior accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.
| Tax Accountant | Junior Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $62,142 | $50,444 |
| Hourly rate | $29.88 | $24.25 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,919 | 57,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A tax accountant is an individual who works with clients to produce tax return documents that follow tax laws and regulations while keeping them updated on their return information. Tax accountants must determine tax strategies for their clients that may minimize or eliminate tax payments while arranging audits with taxation authorities. They prepare tax documents for different clients, including private companies, non-profit organizations, and private individuals. Tax accountants are also required to obtain a bachelor's degree in accounting and should understand business concepts.
Junior accountants maintain the financial records of companies through the analysis of their general ledger accounts and balance sheets. The accountant's post journal entries, maintain accounts receivable and payable, and update financial statements. They pay payroll every month, reconcile ledgers, and submit payroll taxes. The skills necessary for this job include analytical skills, problem-solving, information confidentiality, and proficiency in accounting software and technology. They are also expected to be detail-oriented.
Tax accountants and junior accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tax Accountant | Junior Accountant | |
| Average salary | $62,142 | $50,444 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $83,000 | Between $38,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | Fuhu |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Construction |
There are a few differences between a tax accountant and a junior accountant in terms of educational background:
| Tax Accountant | Junior Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between tax accountants' and junior accountants' demographics:
| Tax Accountant | Junior Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7% | Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |