Cost controller vs senior staff accountant

The differences between cost controllers and senior staff 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 senior staff accountant. Additionally, a cost controller has an average salary of $76,697, which is higher than the $65,019 average annual salary of a senior staff accountant.

The top three skills for a cost controller include project management, cost analysis and financial statements. The most important skills for a senior staff accountant are reconciliations, account reconciliations, and CPA.

Cost controller vs senior staff accountant overview

	Cost Controller	Senior Staff Accountant
Yearly salary	$76,697	$65,019
Hourly rate	$36.87	$31.26
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	17,477	112,760
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
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 senior staff accountant do?

A senior staff accountant is responsible for managing the accounting operations of the company's accounting department, reconciling accounts, and finalizing financial reports to discuss with the management. Senior staff accountants resolve account discrepancies, analyze the company's financial status, and verify financial transactions. They must have excellent analytical skills and extensive knowledge of the accounting principles to perform accounting duties that would minimize the financial risk of the company. A senior staff accountant provides strategic recommendations to prevent overspending and increase efficiency across all departments to drive more revenues and profits.

Cost controller vs senior staff accountant salary

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

	Cost Controller	Senior Staff Accountant
Average salary	$76,697	$65,019
Salary range	Between $51,000 And $114,000	Between $48,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	Sunnyvale, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	NOVA Chemicals	Calumet Specialty Products Partners
Best paying industry	Energy	Professional

Differences between cost controller and senior staff accountant education

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

	Cost Controller	Senior Staff Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Cost controller vs senior staff accountant demographics

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

	Cost Controller	Senior Staff Accountant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8%	Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%
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, 8.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 12.1% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between cost controller and senior staff 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.

Senior staff accountant example responsibilities.

Manage month end close process including journal entries, departmental analysis and preparation of consolidate financial statements and account reconciliations.
Involve in revenue recognition research (ASC 985-605 vs. ASC 605-25).
Aid managers in performing AP duties, generate financial reports for CPA, and reconcile bank accounts for corporate office.
Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and general ledger analysis in accordance with GAAP.
Advance SaaS deal and rev accounting.
Cultivate productive, trustful relationship with external CPA firm, critical to producing successful audits and year-end reporting.

Cost controller vs senior staff 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 senior staff accountant skills

Reconciliations, 13%
Account Reconciliations, 7%
CPA, 7%
GAAP, 5%
General Ledger Accounts, 5%
Balance Sheet Accounts, 4%

Cost Controller vs. similar jobs

Cost Controller related careers

Cost Controller related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Business and Financial Industry
Cost Controller
Cost Controller vs Senior Staff Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs