Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between accounting managers/controller and plant controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an accounting manager/controller, becoming a plant controller takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a plant controller has an average salary of $99,550, which is higher than the $93,973 average annual salary of an accounting manager/controller.
The top three skills for an accounting manager/controller include reconciliations, CPA and internal controls. The most important skills for a plant controller are internal controls, GAAP, and plant management.
| Accounting Manager/Controller | Plant Controller | |
| Yearly salary | $93,973 | $99,550 |
| Hourly rate | $45.18 | $47.86 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 58,292 | 47,555 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
An accounting manager/controller is responsible for spearheading and overseeing the daily operations in a company's accounting department. They monitor the company's budgets, including its costs and expenditures, and produce financial reports. It is also their duty to establish objectives and guidelines, manage accounting staff, monitor financial activities, review and assess financial statements, approve expenditures, and resolve issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as an accounting manager/controller, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A plant controller works at factories where they are primarily in charge of administrative duties and ensuring that operations adhere to budgets, schedules, and standards. As a plant controller, they are also responsible for gathering and analyzing financial data, analyzing cost reports, preparing financial statements, maintaining databases, performing audits and risk assessments, and overseeing the accounting team procedures. Additionally, they also supervise staff operations and address issues and concerns while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Accounting managers/controller and plant controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Accounting Manager/Controller | Plant Controller | |
| Average salary | $93,973 | $99,550 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $133,000 | Between $72,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | Reno, NV |
| Highest paying state | New York | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Arkema |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an accounting manager/controller and a plant controller in terms of educational background:
| Accounting Manager/Controller | Plant Controller | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between accounting managers/controller' and plant controllers' demographics:
| Accounting Manager/Controller | Plant Controller | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.4% Female, 51.6% | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 12.1% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |