How To Become A Controller General Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a controller general manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

D. Pace Porter

The average controller general manager salary is $88,093. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an accounting major. It usually takes 6-8 years of experience to become a controller general manager. Controller general managers with a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 17% and produce 123,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a controller general manager?

D. Pace Porter

Assistant Professor, South College

The accounting profession is made up of several disciplines and is inherent in all businesses from small and medium size to large, publicly traded global companies. You should have a solid idea of where you want to begin. Private industry accounting, which industry, general accounting or tax; or public accounting with a CPA firm and audit, tax or advisory services within that type organization? These are some of the questions that you must answer for yourself, as well as for the potential interviewer. You should have the information necessary to help you answer those after completing your degree and taking all of the required accounting courses. I would also advise you to focus on general skills such as written and oral communication, technology (Excel and beyond), attention to detail, time management and above all, professional integrity.

ScoreController General ManagerUS Average

Salary

6.9

Avg. Salary $88,093

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.8

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 10.15%

Black or African American 7.57%

Hispanic or Latino 14.49%

Unknown 4.10%

White 63.35%

Gender

female 25.66%

male 74.34%

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

7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a controller general manager

Explore controller general manager education requirements

Most common controller general manager degrees

Bachelor's

71.7 %

Master's

13.9 %

Associate

9.9 %

Start to develop specific controller general manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Payroll Taxes	10.39%
General Ledger	7.26%
GAAP	6.72%
Human Resources	5.96%
CPA	5.55%

Research controller general manager duties and responsibilities

Develop long-term financial/ operational strategy for high-tech company as well as managed accounting, finance, and treasury operations.
Maintain responsibility and oversight of company financial models and budget, including cost structure to ensure fulfillment of financial goals.
Join the company as a sales representative during first year as a startup in the sale of IBM compatible PC's.

Prepare your controller general manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your controller general manager resume.

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Apply for controller general manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a controller general manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do controller general managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Controller general manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

I have direct impact on building structure into the organisation. Creating policies that make our company safe and efficient. Develop and mentor employees to achieve company goals.

Cons

The only thing that would make my career a little better is the pay.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

People Busy Money Busy and variety in a job Solving problems

Cons

Lack of benefits Lifting heavy things Sitting at a desk entitely

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019

Pros

Being the captain of the team and encouraging positive results.

Cons

The company I worked for didn't do a lot to upgrade their processes and got caught up in some greedy business that hasn't paid off for the company.

What is a controller general manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a controller general manager?

Controller general manager career paths

Key steps to become a controller general manager

Explore controller general manager education requirements

Most common controller general manager degrees

Start to develop specific controller general manager skills

Research controller general manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your controller general manager resume

Choose from 10+ customizable controller general manager resume templates

Apply for controller general manager jobs

How did you land your first controller general manager job

Average controller general manager salary

How do controller general managers rate their job?

Controller general manager reviews