How To Become A Division Controller: What It Is and Career Path

What is a division controller and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Brian Meehan

Division controllers manage a business unit's financial activities, transactions, and human resources and processes. Their primary responsibility is to prepare financial and management reports, exchange information with stakeholders, analyze growth opportunities, and external coordinate audits.

They may want to earn at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or economics. They may also benefit from having good communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills. They will be more likely to get this job if they are a CPA.

It may be crucial to have experience in a role such as a controller, accounting manager, or staff accountant.

They can expect to earn an average salary of $117,916 per year or $56.69 per hour. Additionally, they can make more money if they work on utilities, technology, and automotive companies.

What general advice would you give to a division controller?

Brian Meehan

Assistant Professor of Economics, Campbell School of Business, Berry College

My advice would be to apply broadly for jobs and take advantage of the robust set of career opportunities a degree in economics provides. It also gives you a better gauge of the opportunity cost (next best alternative) of accepting a job. Try to determine what that best alternative is. Additional training can also be a good option. Those individuals interested in graduate schools, professional schools, law schools, MBAs, etc. should look into these opportunities. Improving your human capital stock (via training and education), while weathering a recession, and then capitalizing on a healthier job market at the end of this training, is a pretty good route (assuming the recession is short).

ScoreDivision ControllerUS Average

Salary

7.9

Avg. Salary $110,117

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.8

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 8.45%

Black or African American 7.98%

Hispanic or Latino 15.02%

Unknown 4.12%

White 64.08%

Gender

female 22.21%

male 77.79%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a division controller

Explore division controller education requirements

Most common division controller degrees

Bachelor's

78.2 %

Master's

17.9 %

Associate

3.1 %

Start to develop specific division controller skills

Skills	Percentages
GAAP	6.26%
Internal Controls	5.97%
CPA	5.66%
Payroll	5.04%
Financial Analysis	4.18%

Research division controller duties and responsibilities

Develop long-term financial/ operational strategy for high-tech company as well as managed accounting, finance, and treasury operations.
Provide and interpret monthly portfolio financial results ensuring proper GAAP treatment of accounting transactions.
Review monthly balance sheet reconciliations to general ledger, sub-ledgers and independent supporting documentation.
Identify over $400K in book gain previously unrecognize by outside CPA firm during annual audit.

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