How To Become A Control Area Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a control area operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average control area operator salary is $72,213. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an accounting major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a control area operator. Control area operators with a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -15% and produce -6,500 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreControl Area OperatorUS Average

Salary

5.6

Avg. Salary $72,213

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.3

Growth rate -15%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.42%

Asian 1.47%

Black or African American 5.61%

Hispanic or Latino 7.77%

Unknown 5.47%

White 77.26%

Gender

female 21.20%

male 78.80%

Age - 46

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 - 46

Stress level

9.3

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.9

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a control area operator

Explore control area operator education requirements

Most common control area operator degrees

Bachelor's

75.7 %

Master's

15.7 %

Associate

5.5 %

Start to develop specific control area operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Payroll	8.59%
Financial Reports	8.15%
Balance Sheet	7.11%
Financial Analysis	6.82%
Internal Controls	6.50%

Complete relevant control area operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New control area operators 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 a control area operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real control area operator resumes.

Research control area operator duties and responsibilities

Manage the implementation of a new ERP system.
Achieve DSO reduction that ranks first in the country.
Lead the conversion of legacy financial systems to a consolidate ERP system.
Manage monthly sales tax reconciliations and streamline process for online reporting and payment.

Prepare your control area operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your control area operator resume.

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