How To Become An Account Analyst: What It Is and Career Path

What is an account analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD

If you are the type of person who always has the checkbook balanced to the penny, then this might be the job for you. As an Account Analyst, you keep customer accounts accurately balanced. That means you scour all charges, payments, and returns on the account. As an account analyst, you will be able to work in a variety of industries. Wherever there is an accounting office, there is an opportunity for you.

Your everyday tasks as an account analyst will include processing client invoices, applying price reductions and rebates. Furthermore, you spend time maintaining records of company promotions, sales, price changes, and other factors affecting customer billing. Your other responsibilities include identifying and resolving customer accounts' errors and monitoring customer payments received and current account status. Educational requirements include a master's degree in accounting or finance. Some analysts also hold certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), or Chartered Accountant (CA or ACA). Moreover, companies may require you to have prior work experience.

The average annual salary that an account analyst makes is $49,767. Moreover, for a traditional workweek, they make $20.26. The career is projected to grow further in the near future.

What general advice would you give to an Account Analyst?

Dr. Natalia Boliari PhD

Associate Professor of Economics and Finance, Manhattan College

First, learn everything about the company you just started working for - its historical path, management, the way it's dealt with crises, etc. Second, learn everything about the specific industry the company belongs to and see how the company has developed relative to the development of the industry domestically and internationally. Third, always be extremely alert to notice new opportunities and be prepared to take calculated risks. That is, actively look for opportunities to complete as many and diverse tasks as possible, and volunteer to complete any type of work regardless of whether it seems relevant to your assigned job or not. Opportunities to learn, grow, and improve and thus to maximize your income, will only come up if you are exposed to diverse situations.

ScoreAccount AnalystUS Average

Salary

4.4

Avg. Salary $55,829

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.4

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.46%

Asian 12.10%

Black or African American 8.88%

Hispanic or Latino 11.23%

Unknown 3.97%

White 63.36%

Gender

female 61.98%

male 38.02%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an account analyst

Explore account analyst education requirements

Most common account analyst degrees

Bachelor's

68.0 %

Associate

13.6 %

Master's

8.8 %

Start to develop specific account analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	16.68%
Patients	10.91%
Financial Statements	9.20%
Financial Reports	4.58%
PowerPoint	4.34%

Complete relevant account analyst training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New account analysts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an account analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real account analyst resumes.

Gain additional account analyst certifications

Account analyst certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific account analyst certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for account analysts include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

More About Certifications

Research account analyst duties and responsibilities

Manage budget submissions by subsidiaries in Europe/AFNE region in Hyperion.
Prepare and review KYC require documentation for multiple business lines.
Prepare weekly payroll through ADP and reconciliation of quarterly payroll taxes and reports.
Prepare PowerPoint presentation for CFO to deliver budget report to board and finance committees.

Prepare your account analyst resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your account analyst resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an account analyst resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Account Analyst Resume templates

Build a professional Account Analyst resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Account Analyst resume.

Apply for account analyst jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an account analyst job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do account analysts rate their job?

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Account Analyst reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020

Cons

Business owners that do not know or understand compliance and GAAP, or the patience to follow the rules... generally common in small companies.