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Job outlook for controller general managers in the United States
Controller general manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected controller general manager job growth rate is 17% from 2018-2028.
About 123,100 new jobs for controller general managers are projected over the next decade.
Controller general manager salaries have increased 10% for controller general managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 101,162 controller general managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 137,581 active controller general manager job openings in the US.
The average controller general manager salary is $88,093.
Are controller general manager jobs in demand?
Controller general manager job and salary trends over time
Controller general manager jobs over time
Controller general manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 101,162 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 95,972 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 96,317 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 89,574 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 84,004 | 0.03% |
Average controller general manager salary over time
Controller general manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,093 | $42.35 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $85,276 | $41.00 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $84,029 | $40.40 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $82,118 | $39.48 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $79,932 | $38.43 | +3.2% |
Controller general manager jobs by state
Most common states for controller general managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 415 | 60% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 312 | 32% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,902 | 28% |
| 4 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 793 | 27% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,161 | 26% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,766 | 26% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,564 | 26% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,428 | 26% |
| 9 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,312 | 26% |
| 10 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,961 | 25% |
| 11 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,554 | 25% |
| 12 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,234 | 25% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 764 | 25% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 486 | 25% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,530 | 24% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 2,463 | 24% |
| 17 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,628 | 24% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,088 | 24% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 981 | 24% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 250 | 24% |
Most common cities for controller general managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waltham | 1 | 2% | $79,247 |
| 2 | Concord | 1 | 1% | $120,535 |
| 3 | Mountain View | 1 | 1% | $120,459 |
| 4 | Wilmington | 1 | 1% | $79,397 |
Controller General Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of controller general manager experts
Murray State University
Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Landmark College
The University of Scranton
Pepperdine University, Seaver College
Sam Houston State University
Houston Baptist University
Loyola University Maryland
Farmingdale State College
Appalachian State University
The City College of New York
Belmont University
Sonoma State University
South College
Red Rocks Community College
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Dr. Ben Littlepage
ProfessorMurray State University
Educational Administration And Supervision
What will help Controller General Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Ben Littlepage: Salary is maximized when leaders are sought after. Leaders who pursue meaningful experiences and remain 'market ready' are viewed as an asset to any organization. Leaders must carefully consider where the field is moving and respond.
What Controller General Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kim Roberts: Business professionals lead organizations by focused efforts that revolve around products/services, processes, and people. Business professionals work to ensure the firm's products and/or services meet customer expectations, with an eye toward an ever-changing market. They manage processes that produce or support the firm's products. This requires the ability to analyze data to make informed decisions, to drive continuous improvement, and to solve problems through critical thinking. Successful business professionals must also create climates that promote teamwork and foster collaboration.
Bernie Cerasaro
Assistant Teaching ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Business Department
What skills stand out on Controller General Manager resumes?
Bernie Cerasaro: Skills employers would be looking for would be functional skills and interpersonal skills. Functional skills should stand out on a resume and be aligned to the business job in question. For example, if focused on marketing positions, marketing skills such as data analytics, market research, consumer behavior, global marketing, and professional selling skills would be areas for which employers would be looking. If the job market is looking for someone in accounting, then functional skills that would stand out would be intermediate financial accounting skills and courses on taxation and auditing. For those seeking positions in project management or supply chain management, skills that would stand out would encompass subject matter such as project management, portfolio management, operations planning and control, purchasing and materials management, and knowledge of ERP type systems and other business processes.
Skill sets can be enhanced via various types of certification. For example, those interested in accounting might pursue a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, which requires 150 credits. As most universities require 120 credits for a bachelor's degree in business, a CPA would require just an additional 30 credits, which students can start accumulating while still at college. Project management certification is also an opportunity to enhance the aforementioned skills and would certainly stand out on an applicant's resume. The Project Management Institute (PMI) promotes PMP certification, which validates that you are highly skilled in soft skills to lead project teams and have the required technical aspects of managing projects. Some universities are working with the PMI to have PMI-approved courses. Approved courses are used toward the PMP training hours required to sit for the exam. For example, Penn State University has received approval for two such courses, Portfolio Management and Organizations and Project Planning and Resource Management.
Due to the high rate of interaction with the global marketplace and the complexity of international business, managers are looking more closely at applicants who have some familiarity with global markets and international culture, such as applicants who may have study abroad experience, traveled internationally, speak a foreign language or have lived or worked in another country.
What skills stand out on Controller General Manager resumes?
Dr. Jeanette Landin: Skills that stand out on contemporary business manager resumes are soft skills. Business managers indeed need insight and knowledge about the business and hard skills, including financial and other technical skills. What stands out on contemporary, successful business manager resumes are their soft skills. Interpersonal skills are atop the list because business is all about people working with other people to achieve a common goal: The business's mission. The people skills of communication, collaboration, and delegation are a vital part of the manager's ability to influence colleagues, delegate work, and achieve the company's mission.
Dr. Douglas Boyle
Chair & Professor, Director, Doctorate in Business Administration Program , Director, Nonprofit Leadership ProgramThe University of Scranton
Accounting Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Controller General Managers?
Dr. Douglas Boyle: While it is important to be technically competent in all areas of accounting, you add the most value by being an expert in a few areas. That is why you may consider pursuing additional credentials (as shown above) in areas of interest to you. This enables you to master the technical skills and demonstrate such skills on your resume.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Controller General Managers?
Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of ManagementSam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Controller General Manager job market given the pandemic?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
What's a good job out of college for Controller General Managers?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Good jobs out of college are those that offer structured training, development, and job rotation. While some college students identified their career at age 5 and never veered away, some are still figuring out what they want to do after college. A job opportunity that recognizes the potential of new talent, willing to invest in training and development, and provides opportunities for new employees to experience different job functions enables new graduates to gain a realistic job preview that pays and allows them to identify an opportunity within the company that best aligns with skills and interests. Positions that are for a specific job function but have an apprenticeship model, like a "sales trainee" position, are also great for career stepping stones right out of college.
Michael Kraten Ph.D.
Professor of Accounting, Chair, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Program Coordinator, Accounting, BBAHouston Baptist University
Accounting, Economics and Finance Department
What technical skills for a Controller General Manager stand out to employers?
Michael Kraten Ph.D.: Short-term skills like data analytics establish college graduates as credible staff professionals. Long-term skills like critical thinking and persuasive communication can place graduates on long-term career paths to senior management.
Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Accounting, Accounting Department ChairLoyola University Maryland
Accounting Department
What technical skills for a Controller General Manager stand out to employers?
Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.: First, Excel. It's the most basic, essential tool for the accounting professional. If you can come in on Day 1 knowing essential keyboard shortcuts, proper formula and reference use, and how to format a spreadsheet properly, you'll have an immediate advantage over your peers.
Second, believe it or not, is writing. People think that accounting is all about numbers, but really, it's less about the math (which Excel does for you) and more about being able to explain the deeper meaning behind the results. Can you explain complex depreciation methods to an audit client? Give bad news to a tax client in an understandable way? These are big deals.
Third is data analytics. Given the immense volume of data now available to firms, someone who can extract, clean, and present that data using modern software tools will have an edge. It's really another form of communication, and one that early-career accounting professionals would do well to familiarize themselves with before entering the workforce.
Xu Zhang Ph.D.
ChairFarmingdale State College
Department of Economics
What skills stand out on Controller General Manager resumes?
Xu Zhang Ph.D.: I believe the most important attributes employers seek on a resume remain the same-problem solving skills, team work skills, analytical/quantitative skills, verbal and written communication skills. However, given the pandemic or any other unexpected shock to work environment, how to quickly and efficiently adapt to new work modes can be a very valuable attribute standing out on resume.
What general advice would you give to a Controller General Manager?
Lubna Nafees Ph.D.: Be flexible and adapt to change. Enjoy the ambiguity and that will help you thrive in these uncertain times. Most importantly stay positive and focussed.
What type of skills will young Controller General Managers need?
Prabal Kumar De Ph.D.: I think the necessary skills remain the same. One modification that would stay is greater virtual engagement. Therefore, newly essential skills such as acing a virtual interview, making a mark during a Zoom meeting, or managing or being a valuable part of a remote working group would be useful long after the immediate threats from the COVID-19 crisis be gone.
Nina Woodard
Senior Career Development SpecialistBelmont University
Office of Career & Professional Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Controller General Manager job market given the pandemic?
Nina Woodard: The pandemic hasn't impacted all areas of the entertainment industry in the same way. Anything related to live events and touring has been placed on an extended pause, which has been very difficult for graduates hoping to work in those fields. On an encouraging note, consumers will always find a way back to live experiences, so that segment of the industry will absolutely recover; the timing is just still a bit unknown. Other areas such as record or publishing companies have held steady. And, digital marketing and content creation companies are as busy, if not busier, than they've ever been as artists seek alternative ways to stay connected to their fans. Technology has intersected with entertainment in exciting, creative ways that will continue even as some of the more traditional avenues become available again. For many companies, ideas that started as pivots are now vibrant components of their long-term strategies.
The way we work may have also permanently changed. Companies have realized that remote working is a truly viable option for most businesses. While maintaining company culture, and the social nature of an entertainment-based organization, may still require some level of in-person interaction, it seems likely that many organizations may continue with remote/hybrid office models.
What Controller General Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nina Woodard: For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.
Adjunct LecturerSonoma State University
School of Business & Economics
What experience really stands out on Controller General Manager resumes?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: Most important on resumes to only show accomplishments you are proud of and reflect measurable success and completion of past work. These accomplishments should be a snapshot of what we have done and can do in the future. The most important two lines of a resume are in the objectives, to list what the person is seeking. These two lines give the reader a quick view of what the person wants.
Now is a great time to start the new year to build a portable work portfolio to represent an alignment of what a person is excited about and enjoys in their work.
What type of skills will young Controller General Managers need?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: I see the essential human skills gaining importance to build a new post-covid work life. These include creativity, leading and working in teams, writing, speaking, being self-aware, and lowering bias and networking; career branding as critical areas for graduates to focus on now.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Controller General Manager job market given the pandemic?
D. Pace Porter: I believe the need for accounting and financial expertise will even be greater as a result of the pandemic. First, the increased technical accounting and reporting requirements related to risks disclosures, impairment analysis and so forth, and the tax and compliance requirements as a result of the various Coronavirus relief and stimulus legislation, will prompt an increase in demand whether through in-house personnel or through CPA firms. Trends toward more technologically advanced graduates began before the pandemic but will accelerate as a result of it. More importantly, however, is the need for improving economic and operational efficiencies, and therefore cash flow, for businesses to continue as a going concern throughout this pandemic and position themselves for growth once things return to some sort of normal. Accounting and financial expertise has an increasingly important role to play here.
What general advice would you give to a Controller General Manager?
D. Pace Porter: 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.
Janet Tarase
Lead Accounting Faculty / Accounting Department ChairRed Rocks Community College
Accounting Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Controller General Manager job market given the pandemic?
Janet Tarase: Even though over 7 million people are currently unemployed, employers still need individuals to maintain their operations. Human Resource departments are recruiting individuals through social media platforms. My daughter works in HR recruiting and they only use LinkedIn. Companies are using video or phone interviews to select candidates. Which means that potential candidates have to communicate effectively and make a good first impression quickly.
Employers will be looking for individuals that have proven communication, organizational and time management skills that are able to work independently since telecommuting will be continuing in the future. Applicants will also need to have technological and critical thinking skills to manage the challenges presented while working from home. Because of the pandemic and so many of us having to work from home, companies may broaden their recruiting geography to find the best candidates out of state or in different time zones. Finally, employees need to be flexible and resilient - you never know what the next job requirement will demand.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Controller General Managers to find work opportunities?
Carol Sullivan: Texas is still extremely fertile and the best region in the United States in my opinion. West Texas is excellent, but my perception is that Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and South Texas may be better. It really depends on the type of lifestyle a person wants to live.