How much does a Controller make?

Updated Oct 2, 2023

Experience

Industry

$141,735 / yrTotal Pay
$112,918 / yrBase Pay
$28,817 / yrAdditional Pay

$141,735

 / yr
$90K$227K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Controller is $141,735 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $112,918 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $28,817 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate does $141,735 look to you?

Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

Total Pay Trajectory

For Controller

$141,735 /yr
Controller
$136,470 /yr
Senior Controller
$176,905 /yr
Lead Controller
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Controller?

Job TitleSalary
Controller$141,735 /yr
Senior Controller$136,470 /yr
Lead Controller$176,905 /yr

Related Job Titles

For Controller

Some related job titles are Assistant Controller Salaries with median pay of $118,492, Corporate Controller Salaries with median pay of $213,918, Plant Controller Salaries with median pay of $136,228, Financial Controller Salaries with median pay of $145,154.

Top Paying Companies

For a Controller in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Controller in United States. Employers include Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

1
Google
Google
$316,465/yr
1K open jobs
7
SAP
$221,369/yr
See pay for all companies for a Controller in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Controller in United States

1Google$316,465
2Amazon$257,600
3Microsoft$245,031
4Cisco Systems$242,875
5Goldman Sachs$238,109
6Intel Corporation$238,025
7SAP$221,369
8Thermo Fisher Scientific$214,102
9Aduro Advisors$205,305
10Kinder Morgan$201,160
Total Pay Trajectory

For Controller

$141,735 /yr
Controller
$136,470 /yr
Senior Controller
$176,905 /yr
Lead Controller
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Controller?

Job TitleSalary
Controller$141,735 /yr
Senior Controller$136,470 /yr
Lead Controller$176,905 /yr

What are total pay estimates for a Controller at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
PwC
3.9
AccountantSee 361 salaries from this location

$91,121

 / yr
EY
3.9
AccountantSee 274 salaries from this location

$88,893

 / yr
Deloitte
4
AccountantSee 240 salaries from this location

$77,411

 / yr
Robert Half
3.8
AccountantSee 226 salaries from this location

$66,330

 / yr
KPMG
3.8
AccountantSee 212 salaries from this location

$80,277

 / yr
SelfEmployed.com
4.4
AccountantSee 185 salaries from this location

$60,057

 / yr
Google
4.4
AccountantSee 185 salaries from this location

$136,448

 / yr

Is this salary info helpful?

Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere

Share Salary Anonymously
Hotta Liesenberg Saito
3.2
AccountantSee 136 salaries from this location

$65,755

 / yr
ABC
4
AccountantSee 116 salaries from this location

$63,452

 / yr
Amazon
3.7
AccountantSee 111 salaries from this location

$81,707

 / yr
McDonald's
3.5
AccountantSee 109 salaries from this location

$56,391

 / yr
Walmart
3.4
AccountantSee 98 salaries from this location

$66,495

 / yr
CBRE
3.9
AccountantSee 96 salaries from this location

$71,706

 / yr
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
3.7
AccountantSee 87 salaries from this location

$65,626

 / yr
Wells Fargo
3.7
AccountantSee 86 salaries from this location

$74,494

 / yr
Self Opportunity
4.3
AccountantSee 78 salaries from this location

$58,832

 / yr
EC Ortiz & Co., LLP
2.9
AccountantSee 78 salaries from this location

$68,931

 / yr
Bank of America
4
AccountantSee 76 salaries from this location

$72,405

 / yr
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)
3.9
AccountantSee 74 salaries from this location

$61,176

 / yr
JPMorgan Chase & Co
4
AccountantSee 74 salaries from this location

$67,931

 / yr
Download as data table

Controller Salaries

Job TitleSalary
PwC Accountant salaries - 361 salaries reported$91,121/yr
EY Accountant salaries - 274 salaries reported$88,893/yr
Deloitte Accountant salaries - 240 salaries reported$77,411/yr
Robert Half Accountant salaries - 226 salaries reported$66,330/yr
KPMG Accountant salaries - 212 salaries reported$80,277/yr
SelfEmployed.com Accountant salaries - 185 salaries reported$60,057/yr
Google Accountant salaries - 185 salaries reported$136,448/yr
Hotta Liesenberg Saito Accountant salaries - 136 salaries reported$65,755/yr
ABC Accountant salaries - 116 salaries reported$63,452/yr
Amazon Accountant salaries - 111 salaries reported$81,707/yr
McDonald's Accountant salaries - 109 salaries reported$56,391/yr
Walmart Accountant salaries - 98 salaries reported$66,495/yr
CBRE Accountant salaries - 96 salaries reported$71,706/yr
Defense Finance and Accounting Service Accountant salaries - 87 salaries reported$65,626/yr
Wells Fargo Accountant salaries - 86 salaries reported$74,494/yr
Self Opportunity Accountant salaries - 78 salaries reported$58,832/yr
EC Ortiz & Co., LLP Accountant salaries - 78 salaries reported$68,931/yr
Bank of America Accountant salaries - 76 salaries reported$72,405/yr
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) Accountant salaries - 74 salaries reported$61,176/yr
JPMorgan Chase & Co Accountant salaries - 74 salaries reported$67,931/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 10,000

Top Paying Industries

For a Controller in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Controller in United States are Information Technology with a median total pay of $229,697, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology with a median total pay of $214,102, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $175,059, Real Estate with a median total pay of $163,608, and Agriculture with a median total pay of $161,178.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$229,697

    41% Higher than other industries

  • Pharmaceutical & BiotechnologyPharmaceutical & Biotechnology$214,102

    37% Higher than other industries

  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$175,059

    23% Higher than other industries

  • Real EstateReal Estate$163,608

    17% Higher than other industries

  • AgricultureAgriculture$161,178

    16% Higher than other industries

Information Technology

Top paying companies in Information Technology for Controller are Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

GoogleGoogle$316,465/yr
AmazonAmazon$257,600/yr
MicrosoftMicrosoft$245,031/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Finance & Accounting?

Jobs in finance and accounting are expected to see continued demand, with employment growth linked to the health of the broader economy. These jobs will continue to offer above average pay but usually require higher education or certification to enter the field. While automation will replace many common tasks, it is not expected to reduce the need for these employees; it will instead allow them to focus on core soft skills like advising clients and analyzing trends.

Recent Salaries Shared

For controller

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Financial Controller

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$15,300

/mo

$5K | $10K

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Quality Control Auditor

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$74,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Controller

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$135,000

/yr

$130K | $5K

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Controller

United States of America

 | 15+ years

$165,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

15+ years
Yesterday
Controller

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$70,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday
Controller

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$135,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday

Controller pay FAQ

The average salary for a Controller is $141,735 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 10252 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Controller employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Controller in United States is $182,412 per year.

The lowest salary for a Controller in United States is $111,363 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Controller or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Controller.

Controllers are often among the top earning individuals in an organization. This premium reflects their extensive experience and critical role. Controllers for private sector firms can usually increase their pay by making companies more profitable and earning bonuses. Additionally, they can establish a strong reputation and move to larger firms.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

According to anonymous employee ratings, about 75% of controllers are content with their salaries. Bonuses and profit sharing could add an average of $28,815.35 to their yearly salaries. Education and experience can also help increase compensation, which may qualify them as making good money.

Seeking a master's degree could help you make more money as a controller. Some employers require applicants to have a master's of business administration (MBA). Likewise, earning a certified public accountant (CPA) certification could provide high-paying job opportunities. Some states require a certain amount of college credits and job experience before you can take the CPA exam. Another method is to acquire years of on-the-job experience to make your resume stand out. Learning new skills, software, and programming languages allows you to take on bigger projects, which potentially leads to bonuses and overtime hours.

Discuss your education when you apply for new controller jobs. If you have a bachelor's or master's degree, talk about your field of study and how it applies to the job you're applying for. Mention your years of experience, and discuss the advanced projects that you completed with other employers. Highlight the certifications that you've earned, particularly a CPA designation. Similarly, note the programs and software that you can use, such as Microsoft Office and accounting systems. You could also list related in-demand skills, such as giving presentations, taking on leadership roles, and working with clients.

Salaries

 > 

controller

 > 

United States