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The differences between tax accountants and tax associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tax associate has an average salary of $62,466, which is higher than the $62,142 average annual salary of a tax accountant.
The top three skills for a tax accountant include CPA, tax audits and income tax returns. The most important skills for a tax associate are strong customer service, CPA, and tax planning.
| Tax Accountant | Tax Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $62,142 | $62,466 |
| Hourly rate | $29.88 | $30.03 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,919 | 42,019 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 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.
Tax associates are responsible for helping businesses and individuals with state and federal income tax preparation and compliance. These professionals often work for accounting firms and financial services companies. They perform varied tasks that include reviewing income statements, financial records, and expenditures, interviewing clients about income and expenses, and minimizing their clients' tax liability. Tax associates also conduct research on tax issues and assist with tax audits, advise clients on compensation and tax information, and maintain accurate and current client records.
Tax accountants and tax associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tax Accountant | Tax Associate | |
| Average salary | $62,142 | $62,466 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $83,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | New York | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a tax accountant and a tax associate in terms of educational background:
| Tax Accountant | Tax Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between tax accountants' and tax associates' demographics:
| Tax Accountant | Tax Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| 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, 9.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |