Cost controller vs junior accountant

The differences between cost controllers and junior 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 a junior accountant. Additionally, a cost controller has an average salary of $76,697, which is higher than the $50,444 average annual salary of a junior accountant.

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

Cost controller vs junior accountant overview

	Cost Controller	Junior Accountant
Yearly salary	$76,697	$50,444
Hourly rate	$36.87	$24.25
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	17,477	57,892
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
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 a junior accountant do?

Junior accountants maintain the financial records of companies through the analysis of their general ledger accounts and balance sheets. The accountant's post journal entries, maintain accounts receivable and payable, and update financial statements. They pay payroll every month, reconcile ledgers, and submit payroll taxes. The skills necessary for this job include analytical skills, problem-solving, information confidentiality, and proficiency in accounting software and technology. They are also expected to be detail-oriented.

Cost controller vs junior accountant salary

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

	Cost Controller	Junior Accountant
Average salary	$76,697	$50,444
Salary range	Between $51,000 And $114,000	Between $38,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Sunnyvale, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	NOVA Chemicals	Fuhu
Best paying industry	Energy	Construction

Differences between cost controller and junior accountant education

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

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

Cost controller vs junior accountant demographics

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

	Cost Controller	Junior Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8%	Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4%
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, 7.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between cost controller and junior 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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Junior accountant example responsibilities.

Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
Perform and assist with month-end close procedures, including preparation of monthly balance sheet and income statement account reconciliations.
Identify hundreds of daily transactions from banking statements using QuickBooks and present monthly financial reports
Perform bank and credit card reconciliations and assist with month-end accruals in addition to inter-company reconciliations.
Prepare financial schedules, account reconciliations, and detail financial statements and reports for analysis, financial reporting, and decision-making.
Deposit checks into lockbox and post to funds to proper accounts daily.

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Cost controller vs junior 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 junior accountant skills

Reconciliations, 18%
General Ledger Accounts, 8%
Account Reconciliations, 5%
Data Entry, 5%
QuickBooks, 4%
Payroll Taxes, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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