Cost controller vs accountant

The differences between cost controllers and accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a cost controller and an accountant. Additionally, a cost controller has an average salary of $76,697, which is higher than the $54,890 average annual salary of an accountant.

The top three skills for a cost controller include project management, cost analysis and financial statements. The most important skills for an accountant are reconciliations, general ledger accounts, and account reconciliations.

Cost controller vs accountant overview

	Cost Controller	Accountant
Yearly salary	$76,697	$54,890
Hourly rate	$36.87	$26.39
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	17,477	60,073
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a cost controller do?

A Cost Controller manages the project costs. Cost Controllers' tasks include developing, controlling, planning, and forecasting the project's budget. They make sure that projects are completed within the approved budget and minimize the deflection from it. Cost Controllers should know about total cost management concepts, budget distribution, and setting a cost limit. They should also know how to detect issues, analyze cost reports, and value management. Being a cost controller also requires skills to effectively communicate the project's cost performance, concerns, and recovery plans to the project team.

What does an accountant do?

An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.

Cost controller vs accountant salary

Cost controllers and accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cost Controller	Accountant
Average salary	$76,697	$54,890
Salary range	Between $51,000 And $114,000	Between $41,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Sunnyvale, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	NOVA Chemicals	Meta
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between cost controller and accountant education

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

	Cost Controller	Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Cost controller vs accountant demographics

Here are the differences between cost controllers' and accountants' demographics:

	Cost Controller	Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8%	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 13.4% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between cost controller and accountant duties and responsibilities

Cost controller example responsibilities.

Improve project process by developing and implementing cost structure, then manage job-specific code of accounts for WBS approvals.
Manage treasury, open several new accounts, establish new procedures and controls, monitor daily activity.
Prepare monthly write-ups reports for the cost performance and EAC forecast
Identify wrongly charge WBS in order to control the budget release under each WBS element.
Facilitate capital project team's operating expense budgets, forecast, variance comments, accruals, and reporting.
Analyze purchase order commitment to calculate accruals.

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Accountant example responsibilities.

Manage preparation of the statutory financial statements and financial aggregates in compliance with IFRS and local applicable norms.
Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Reconstruct and improve many balance sheet account reconciliations for easier reading and interpretation by senior level management.
Perform complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
Maintain general ledgers and preparation of monthly and other periodic financial reports in accordance with GAAP and international accounting standards.

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Cost controller vs accountant skills

Common cost controller skills

Project Management, 11%
Cost Analysis, 7%
Financial Statements, 6%
Cost Estimates, 6%
Variance Analysis, 5%
Cost Data, 5%

Common accountant skills

Reconciliations, 14%
General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Account Reconciliations, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Payroll Tax Returns, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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