How to hire a comptroller

How to hire a comptroller, step by step

Here's a step-by-step comptroller hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a comptroller job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new comptroller
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a comptroller, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A comptroller's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, comptrollers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of comptrollers.

   Type of Comptroller	Description	Hourly rate
   Comptroller	Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They produce financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop strategies and plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	$25-60
   Manager/Finance Accounting	A manager of finance accounting's role is to oversee the financial activities in a company or organization. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with other departments to gather financial data, analyze the revenues and expenditures, and develop written reports and presentations... Show more	$31-61
   Business Manager	A business manager is responsible for directing the overall operations of the company, ensuring that all employees do their tasks efficiently and accurately. Business managers' duties include developing strategic solutions, evaluating employees' performance, identifying business opportunities to grow, monitoring the company's expenses to meet its budget goals, implementing techniques to boost the company's revenue and profitability, and adhering to the company's legal policies and procedures... Show more	$22-69

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll Taxes
   • External Auditors
   • General Ledger Accounts
   • Reconciliations
   • CPA
   • Journal Entries
   • Financial Management
   • Internal Controls
   • Human Resources
   • Balance Sheet
   • Bank Reconciliations
   • Tax Returns
   • Financial Data
   • Accounts Receivables

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work with the users for the UAT test phase and lead the UAT test sessions.
   • Complete responsibility for high-volume billing functions and managing client trust accounts, including bank reconciliations.
   • Manage payroll and all taxation matters, coordinate independent audit; communicate with outside organizations and agencies.
   • Coordinate CPA preparation of year-end financial statement compilation and tax returns.
   • Design and implement appropriate reports and procedures to monitor and control execution of monthly journal entries and account reconciliations.
   • Assist the users with the UAT test plan.

   More comptroller duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your comptroller job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A comptroller can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, comptrollers' average salary in oklahoma is 44% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level comptrollers 59% less than senior-level comptrollers.
   • Certifications. A comptroller with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a comptroller's salary.

   Average comptroller salary

   $81,446yearly

   $39.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level comptroller salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average comptroller salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$105,841	$51
   2	New Jersey	$105,385	$51
   3	Massachusetts	$100,200	$48
   4	California	$83,619	$40
   5	District of Columbia	$80,907	$39
   6	Nevada	$80,458	$39
   7	Michigan	$79,050	$38
   8	Virginia	$76,871	$37
   9	Texas	$76,157	$37
   10	Florida	$69,695	$34
   11	Indiana	$68,143	$33
   12	Georgia	$66,070	$32
   13	Illinois	$65,872	$32
   14	Missouri	$64,013	$31
   15	Alabama	$60,767	$29
   16	Oklahoma	$58,399	$28

   Average comptroller salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Scotiabank	$92,622	$44.53
   2	KEYS Group Holdings, LLC	$79,819	$38.37
   3	Axiologic Solutions	$77,491	$37.26
   4	International Republican Institute	$76,412	$36.74
   5	City of Jacksonville	$75,349	$36.23
   6	Pennsylvania State Treasurer	$74,539	$35.84	3
   7	Ad Astra	$74,539	$35.84
   8	Boston Group	$73,876	$35.52
   9	Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission	$73,576	$35.37
   10	Us Army Reserves	$72,225	$34.72
   11	GFOA	$67,814	$32.60
   12	Robert Half	$67,259	$32.34	739
   13	Friendship Public Charter School	$64,640	$31.08
   14	Pinnacle Services	$63,871	$30.71
   15	North Shore Community College	$62,830	$30.21
   16	City of Jacksonville, Florida - Government	$61,754	$29.69
   17	Friendship Christian School	$61,748	$29.69
   18	Moran & Company P.C. CPA	$57,327	$27.56
   19	Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania	$57,092	$27.45
   20	Clarendon College	$55,304	$26.59

4. Writing a comptroller job description

   A comptroller job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a comptroller job description:

   Comptroller job description example

   • Medical and Dental
   • 401K Plan
   • Paid time off and vacation
   • Growth opportunities
   • Paid Training
   • Employee vehicle purchase plans
   • Family owned and operated
   • Long term job security
   • Health and wellness
   • Flexible Work Schedule
   • Discounts on products and services

   Essential duties:

   · Support Owners in all aspects of running the business.

   · Manage and safeguard the stores assets and ensure that internal controls are in place.

   · Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism.

   · Prepare complete financial statements monthly according to dealership guidelines.

   · Manage the day-to-day accounting operations of the store to ensure that all transactions are recorded in compliance with dealership accounting processes and policies.

   · Reviews the general ledger and schedule accounts for accuracy.

   · Reviews the reconciliation of general ledger accounts to ensure proper bank reconciliation, reserve accounts, factory payables, floor plan payable, A/R and A/P.

   · Manages the payoff of vehicle floor plan and works with bank representatives.

   · Prepares sales & managers commissions.

   · Prepares employee health/life benefits payments.

   · Prepare the daily, weekly, monthly reports required by the management team.

   · Must have the ability to use automotive accounting software.

   · Ensures that all manufacturer accounts including warranty claims, rebates, parts inventory, and co-op advertising accounts are current and accurate.

   · Assist in company completion of annual reviews/audits.

   · Working knowledge of dealership financial statements

   · Working knowledge of dealership accounting month-end close

   · Working knowledge of state sales tax returns

   · Working knowledge of all accounting office positions

   · Other tasks as assigned.

   Additional requirements:

   Strong leadership skills, high character & strong work ethic.

   Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

   Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment and work flexible hours.

   Ability to teach, mentor, and lead accounting staff.

   Position type and schedule:

   This is a full-time position.

   Days and hours of work are Monday – Friday 8:00am-5:00pm. May vary based on business needs.

   Required/Preferred Education and experience:

   · Associates degree or higher in Accounting or Business Administration

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find comptrollers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any comptrollers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level comptrollers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your comptroller job on Zippia to find and recruit comptroller candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit comptrollers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new comptroller

   Once you've found the comptroller candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new comptroller. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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