Staff Accountant vs. Senior Accountant: What Are the Differences?

A career in accounting can be both challenging and rewarding. Two common positions in this field are staff accountant and senior accountant. Though both roles involve working with numbers, there are several key differences between them.

In this article, we discuss the differences between a staff accountant and a senior accountant, and we provide additional accounting professions you may be interested in pursuing.

What is a Staff Accountant?

A Staff Accountant is a professional who works within the accounting department of a company to maintain financial records and ensure compliance with regulations. They may be responsible for preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, and preparing financial statements. Staff Accountants may also be involved in auditing, tax preparation, and budgeting. Some Staff Accountants specialize in a particular area, such as payroll or Accounts Receivable. To become a Staff Accountant, one typically needs to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.

What is a Senior Accountant?

Senior Accountants are responsible for leading and coordinating the work of junior accountants and accounting clerks. They may oversee the preparation of financial statements, tax returns, and budgets. They may also review and recommend improvements to accounting systems and procedures. Senior Accountants may be responsible for supervising the work of junior staff and providing mentorship and guidance. They may also be involved in special projects, such as investigating potential instances of fraud. Senior Accountants typically have several years of experience in the field and may hold a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.

Staff Accountant vs. Senior Accountant

Here are the main differences between a staff accountant and a senior accountant.

Job Duties

A staff accountant performs a wide range of tasks, like creating and maintaining accounting records, preparing financial reports and assisting more senior accountants. They may also assist in tax preparation and research. A senior accountant typically manages the entire accounting department, delegating tasks to other employees and making final decisions on projects. They may create training programs for staff accountants and communicate with other departments about accounting information.

Job Requirements

To become a staff accountant, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. You may be able to find entry-level positions with just an undergraduate degree, but some employers prefer candidates who have a master’s degree in accounting or business administration. To become a senior accountant, you typically need to have several years of experience working as a staff accountant. Some employers also require senior accountants to have a certified public accountant (CPA) license.

Work Environment

Staff accountants typically work in an office setting, often with other staff members. They may also travel to visit clients and attend meetings. Senior accountants usually work in an office environment as well, but they have more responsibilities than staff accountants and may need to travel for business purposes. For example, a senior accountant might travel to meet with clients or attend conferences.

Both staff and senior accountants can expect to spend most of their time sitting at a desk working on paperwork. However, senior accountants may be more likely to perform administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and answering phones.

Skills

The specific skills used on the job by staff accountants and senior accountants can differ depending on the size of the company they work for, the industry they work in and the specific duties assigned to them. However, there are some similarities and differences in the skills that are typically used by these two types of accounting professionals.

Both staff accountants and senior accountants need to have excellent math skills to perform their jobs effectively. They use math when they are calculating financial data, preparing reports and analyzing information. In addition, both staff accountants and senior accountants need to be able to use computer programs like spreadsheets and accounting software to input data, create reports and manage finances.

While both staff accountants and senior accountants need to have strong analytical skills to examine financial data and identify trends, senior accountants may use their analytical skills more often as they are often responsible for making recommendations about how to improve a company’s financial health. Senior accountants also tend to have stronger problem-solving skills as they are often tasked with finding solutions to complex financial issues.

Salary

Staff accountants earn an average salary of $62,583 per year, while senior accountants earn an average salary of $81,599 per year. The average salary for both positions may vary depending on the size of the company, the location of the job and the level of experience the accountant has prior to pursuing either position.