City controller vs finance controller

The differences between city controllers and finance controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a city controller and a finance controller. Additionally, a city controller has an average salary of $110,568, which is higher than the $105,869 average annual salary of a finance controller.

The top three skills for a city controller include financial reports, payroll and balance sheet accounts. The most important skills for a finance controller are CPA, payroll, and financial controller.

City controller vs finance controller overview

	City Controller	Finance Controller
Yearly salary	$110,568	$105,869
Hourly rate	$53.16	$50.90
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	19,157	97,342
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	8	8

City controller vs finance controller salary

City controllers and finance controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	City Controller	Finance Controller
Average salary	$110,568	$105,869
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $177,000	Between $71,000 And $156,000
Highest paying City	-	Yonkers, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Sage Memorial Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between city controller and finance controller education

There are a few differences between a city controller and a finance controller in terms of educational background:

	City Controller	Finance Controller
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

City controller vs finance controller demographics

Here are the differences between city controllers' and finance controllers' demographics:

	City Controller	Finance Controller
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 58.8% Female, 41.2%	Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between city controller and finance controller duties and responsibilities

City controller example responsibilities.

Manage accounting systems configuration and improvement, external auditor communication and requirements, regulatory compliance and SOX controls review.
Manage accounting systems configuration and improvement, external auditor communication and requirements, regulatory compliance and SOX controls review.
Create custom reports in ADP for accounting department analysis and distribution to management.

Finance controller example responsibilities.

Lead the implementation of a fully integrate ERP system resulting in increase financial integrity.
Supervise a staff of seven in the areas of A/P, A/R, G/L, financial reporting and payroll.
Coordinate annual financial audit with external CPA firm and implement internal controls to satisfy recommendations from auditors.
Develop and implement procedures with internal controls for all financial and operational processes to ensure GAAP compliance.
Prepare all accounts for the month-end closing process and additionally gather information for daily/monthly reconciliations and journal entries.
Work with outside CPA on year-end tax planning; ensure the timely filing and payment of corporate taxes.

City controller vs finance controller skills

Common city controller skills

Financial Reports, 41%
Payroll, 30%
Balance Sheet Accounts, 12%
Financial Operations, 8%
Firsthand Knowledge, 4%
Press Releases, 3%

Common finance controller skills

CPA, 7%
Payroll, 7%
Financial Controller, 7%
GAAP, 5%
General Ledger, 5%
Internal Controls, 5%

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City Controller
City Controller vs Finance Controller

Updated January 8, 2025

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