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The differences between analysts and accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an analyst and an accountant. Additionally, an analyst has an average salary of $73,007, which is higher than the $54,890 average annual salary of an accountant.
The top three skills for an analyst include customer service, troubleshoot and data analysis. The most important skills for an accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.
| Analyst | Accountant | |
| Yearly salary | $73,007 | $54,890 |
| Hourly rate | $35.10 | $26.39 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 253,138 | 60,073 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.
Analysts and accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Analyst | Accountant | |
| Average salary | $73,007 | $54,890 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $99,000 | Between $41,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an analyst and an accountant in terms of educational background:
| Analyst | Accountant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between analysts' and accountants' demographics:
| Analyst | Accountant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% | Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 7% |