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Controller/director of finance salary
Average controller/director of finance salary
$140,095
Average Salary Insights
The average salary for a Controller/Director of Finance in the United States is approximately $140,095 per year. This figure reflects a combination of factors, including experience, location, and industry. Typically, professionals in this role oversee financial reporting, budgeting, and strategic planning, making their expertise invaluable to organizations.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may start around $80,000, while those with significant experience can earn upwards of $200,000. Experience not only enhances earning potential but also expands responsibilities, often leading to senior management roles.
Top Paying States and Cities
Geographically, states like California, New York, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for finance directors. Cities such as San Francisco and New York City are known for their competitive pay scales, driven by the demand for financial professionals in thriving markets.
Opportunities for Growth
With the finance sector evolving, opportunities for Controllers and Directors of Finance are expected to grow. Professionals can further enhance their career by pursuing certifications like CPA or CMA, which are highly regarded and can lead to increased job security and higher salaries.
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Where can a Controller/Director Of Finance earn more?
Controller/director of finance salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level controller/director of finance | $96,300 | $46.31 |
| Mid-level controller/director of finance | $149,000 | $71.67 |
| Senior-level controller/director of finance | $229,000 | $110.16 |
Average controller/director of finance salary by state
The average controller/director of finance salary in Alaska, Nevada, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average controller/director of finance salary states are North Carolina, Nebraska, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for controller/directors of finance
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $142,879 | $68.69 |
| 2 | Nevada | $149,848 | $72.04 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $145,963 | $70.17 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $140,192 | $67.40 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $134,948 | $64.88 |
| 6 | Texas | $136,849 | $65.79 |
| 7 | Alaska | $149,867 | $72.05 |
| 8 | New York | $138,272 | $66.48 |
| 9 | Washington | $136,560 | $65.65 |
| 10 | California | $141,741 | $68.14 |
| 11 | Virginia | $135,637 | $65.21 |
| 12 | Ohio | $134,856 | $64.83 |
| 13 | Utah | $124,620 | $59.91 |
| 14 | Illinois | $129,123 | $62.08 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $125,985 | $60.57 |
| 16 | Vermont | $134,893 | $64.85 |
| 17 | Michigan | $125,446 | $60.31 |
| 18 | Maine | $131,481 | $63.21 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $124,411 | $59.81 |
| 20 | Colorado | $128,880 | $61.96 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $125,190 | $60.19 |
| 22 | Florida | $126,603 | $60.87 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $127,270 | $61.19 |
| 24 | Alabama | $116,559 | $56.04 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $135,186 | $64.99 |
| 26 | Indiana | $123,199 | $59.23 |
| 27 | Arizona | $123,257 | $59.26 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $122,066 | $58.69 |
| 29 | Iowa | $113,197 | $54.42 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $113,747 | $54.69 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $121,511 | $58.42 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $113,698 | $54.66 |
| 33 | Oregon | $121,770 | $58.54 |
| 34 | Delaware | $118,247 | $56.85 |
| 35 | Maryland | $120,810 | $58.08 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $107,982 | $51.91 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $116,327 | $55.93 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $119,904 | $57.65 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $105,788 | $50.86 |
| 40 | Idaho | $118,721 | $57.08 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $114,130 | $54.87 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $104,716 | $50.34 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $105,404 | $50.67 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $111,621 | $53.66 |
| 45 | Missouri | $113,770 | $54.70 |
| 46 | Kansas | $114,995 | $55.29 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $107,145 | $51.51 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $107,989 | $51.92 |
| 49 | Georgia | $103,763 | $49.89 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $106,780 | $51.34 |
| 51 | Montana | $110,364 | $53.06 |
Highest paying cities for controller/directors of finance
The highest-paying cities for controller/directors of finance are Las Vegas, NV, Rohnert Park, CA, and Hoboken, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $150,097 | $72.16 |
| 2 | Rohnert Park, CA | $149,147 | $71.71 |
| 3 | Hoboken, NJ | $146,935 | $70.64 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $140,681 | $67.64 |
| 5 | Henrietta, NY | $139,436 | $67.04 |
| 6 | Lacey, WA | $138,532 | $66.60 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $137,815 | $66.26 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $135,514 | $65.15 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $129,587 | $62.30 |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $129,555 | $62.29 |
| 11 | Nashua, NH | $126,905 | $61.01 |
| 12 | Kingsport, TN | $126,727 | $60.93 |
| 13 | Troy, MI | $125,885 | $60.52 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $125,217 | $60.20 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $123,515 | $59.38 |
| 16 | Edgewood, MD | $121,535 | $58.43 |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $116,533 | $56.03 |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA | $113,440 | $54.54 |
| 19 | Durham, NC | $108,145 | $51.99 |
| 20 | Tulsa, OK | $104,666 | $50.32 |
Controller/director of finance salary details
A controller/director of finance's salary ranges from $96,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $202,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a controller/director of finance's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $202,000 | $16,833 | $97 |
| 75th Percentile | $170,000 | $14,167 | $82 |
| Average | $140,095 | $11,675 | $67 |
| 25th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 10th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
Highest paying controller/director of finance jobs
The highest paying types of controller/directors of finance are controller, vice president, finance vice president, and corporate controller.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Vice President | $147,603 | $12,300 | $70.96 | 111,219 |
| Finance Manager | $101,374 | $8,448 | $48.74 | 125,345 |
| Finance Leader | $117,284 | $9,774 | $56.39 | 93,582 |
| Accounting Manager/Controller | $93,973 | $7,831 | $45.18 | 58,292 |
| Corporate Controller | $144,304 | $12,025 | $69.38 | 57,715 |
| Division Controller | $110,117 | $9,176 | $52.94 | 41,679 |
Top companies hiring controller/directors of finance now:
Which companies pay controller/directors of finance the most?
Controller/director of finance salaries at Zoetis and Medtronic are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average controller/director of finance salary at companies like Optimum Nutrition and American Ordnance are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoetis | $165,586 | $79.61 |
| 2 | Medtronic | $158,331 | $76.12 |
| 3 | Optimum Nutrition | $157,224 | $75.59 |
| 4 | American Ordnance | $155,412 | $74.72 |
| 5 | Rivian | $154,839 | $74.44 |
| 6 | Bic Corporation | $154,060 | $74.07 |
| 7 | Monster Products | $153,250 | $73.68 |
| 8 | Netflix | $151,387 | $72.78 |
| 9 | Kforce | $150,563 | $72.39 |
| 10 | Knowles | $148,845 | $71.56 |
| 11 | Muller | $147,781 | $71.05 |
| 12 | Eaton | $146,551 | $70.46 |
| 13 | Huntsman | $146,216 | $70.30 |
| 14 | Fralock | $145,803 | $70.10 |
| 15 | Oscar | $145,360 | $69.88 |
| 16 | Bloom Energy | $145,310 | $69.86 |
| 17 | Advance Auto Parts | $144,440 | $69.44 |
| 18 | Planned Parenthood | $144,370 | $69.41 |
| 19 | RéVive Skincare | $142,290 | $68.41 |
| 20 | WKW North America | $142,268 | $68.40 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Controller/Director Of Finance salary by industry
The average controller/director of finance salary varies across industries:
- The average controller/director of finance salary in the manufacturing industry is $142,225, the highest of any industry.
- The average controller/director of finance salary in the finance industry is $139,218.
- Controller/directors of finance in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $126,673, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for controller/directors of finance
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $142,225 | $68.38 |
| 2 | Construction | $139,218 | $66.93 |
| 3 | Transportation | $136,584 | $65.67 |
| 4 | Health Care | $135,183 | $64.99 |
| 5 | Media | $133,145 | $64.01 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $126,673 | $60.90 |
High paying controller/director of finance jobs
Controller/director of finance salary trends
The average controller/director of finance salary has risen by $28,211 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average controller/director of finance earned $111,884 annually, but today, they earn $140,095 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for controller/directors of finance over the last decade.
Compare controller/director of finance salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average controller/director of finance salary over time
Compare controller/director of finance salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Controller/director of finance salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $140,000 | $67.35 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $136,000 | $65.20 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $134,000 | $64.25 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $131,000 | $62.79 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $127,000 | $61.11 | +3.1% |
Recently added controller/director of finance salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forge Global | Director of Internal Control and Document Services | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $160,000 |
| Valley Presbyterian | Director of Infection Prevention, Infection Control Unit | Los Angeles, CA | 06/26/2025 | $154,835 |
| Titan Placement Group | Controller/Director of Finance | Willimantic, CT | 06/24/2025 | $99,000 |
| Electra | Director of Business Control and FP&A | Boulder, CO | 06/21/2025 | $166,000 |
| Generations Family Health Center | Controller/Director of Finance | Willimantic, CT | 06/20/2025 | $109,000 |
| American Express | Director-Enterprise Control Management, Regulatory & Audit Exam Management | Sunrise, FL | 06/19/2025 | $130,000 |
| TD Bank | Director, Governance & Control, TD Securities (US) | New York, NY | 06/19/2025 | $170,000 |
| Abbott | Director, Cybersecurity Controls and Oversight | Chicago, IL | 06/18/2025 | $147,300 |
| American Express | Director-Enterprise Control Management, Governance & Initiatives | Sandy, UT | 06/18/2025 | $130,000 |
| Bart | Director of Financial Control and Accounting | Oakland, CA | 06/18/2025 | $281,222 |
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