Controller vs assistant controller

The differences between controllers and assistant controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a controller and an assistant controller. Additionally, a controller has an average salary of $101,204, which is higher than the $91,447 average annual salary of an assistant controller.

The top three skills for a controller include CPA, payroll processing and reconciliations. The most important skills for an assistant controller are reconciliations, CPA, and GAAP.

Controller vs assistant controller overview

	Controller	Assistant Controller
Yearly salary	$101,204	$91,447
Hourly rate	$48.66	$43.96
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	75,440	58,643
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	8	8

What does a controller do?

Controllers are employees in the accounting department who manage the finances of the organization. They are involved in the budget setting activity at the start of the company's fiscal year. Controllers are responsible for ensuring that all departments work within their respective budgets. They have the power to recommend budget cuts due to any unforeseen circumstances that may happen. They also have the ability to veto or forego budget items. Controllers should have accounting skills and auditing skills. They must also be trustworthy and should work with integrity.

What does an assistant controller do?

An assistant controller is an individual who supports and reports to the corporate controller about all the organization's accounting-related activities such as managerial accounting and financial activities. Assistant controllers are instrumental in maintaining the accountability of the organization's financial resources and protecting the assets of its investors. They delegate data entry tasks with junior accounting staff and coordinate financial audits with the vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). The minimum educational attainment of an assistant controller is to obtain a bachelor's degree in finance or accounting related field.

Controller vs assistant controller salary

Controllers and assistant controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Controller	Assistant Controller
Average salary	$101,204	$91,447
Salary range	Between $70,000 And $144,000	Between $63,000 And $132,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Stamford, CT
Highest paying state	New York	Connecticut
Best paying company	Perkins Coie	Cloudflare
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between controller and assistant controller education

There are a few differences between a controller and an assistant controller in terms of educational background:

	Controller	Assistant Controller
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Controller vs assistant controller demographics

Here are the differences between controllers' and assistant controllers' demographics:

	Controller	Assistant Controller
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 49.8% Female, 50.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 9.4% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 9.1% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between controller and assistant controller duties and responsibilities

Controller example responsibilities.

Manage NAV production, calculation of performance fees, IFRS accounts and subscription/redemption analysis.
Lead transition of company from sole proprietor to NYSE list company subsidiary, including implementing new financial reporting system.
Manage a team of junior staff accountants and maintaining quality control throughout the entire monthly billing, A/P & A/R processes.
Manage treasury, open several new accounts, establish new procedures and controls, monitor daily activity.
Produce monthly account reconciliations, post monthly journal entries and review, analyze, correct and issue monthly comparative financial statements.
Perform accounting research and special projects as required including cash flow analysis, cost projections, reconciliations and other financial analysis.

Assistant controller example responsibilities.

Lead divisional capital management through ROI analysis on new products and other capital investments to maximize returns.
Facilitate the implementation of ERP system, which increase productivity in efficiently and effectively manage the functionality of the organization.
Initiate ongoing departmental projects to automate daily tasks which include the calculations for income distributions and the daily income account reconciliation.
Maintain timely and accurate general ledger account reconciliations, oversee treasury management, and handle fixed asset tracking and reporting.
Direct balance sheet and inter-company reconciliations according to GAAP and ensure compliance across accounting, payroll, and inventory management systems.
Oversee corporate financial internal controls including a complete re-write of all standard operating procedure documentation and supporting annual SOX audit work.

Controller vs assistant controller skills

Common controller skills

CPA, 8%
Payroll Processing, 7%
Reconciliations, 6%
Cash Management, 5%
Internal Controls, 5%
GAAP, 5%

Common assistant controller skills

Reconciliations, 9%
CPA, 8%
GAAP, 7%
Internal Controls, 5%
Payroll Processing, 5%
External Auditors, 5%

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Controller vs Assistant Controller

Updated January 8, 2025

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