Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between finance controllers and finance leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a finance controller and a finance leader. Additionally, a finance leader has an average salary of $117,284, which is higher than the $105,869 average annual salary of a finance controller.
The top three skills for a finance controller include CPA, payroll and financial controller. The most important skills for a finance leader are financial analysis, financial management, and business development.
| Finance Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $105,869 | $117,284 |
| Hourly rate | $50.90 | $56.39 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 97,342 | 93,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A financial controller is primarily in charge of the daily finance activities and accounting functions of a company. Their responsibilities typically revolve around preparing and organizing financial reports, analyzing data and looking out for any discrepancies or inconsistencies, and overseeing the company's overall revenues and expenditures. A financial controller must also maintain documentation, participate in risk assessment and budgeting activities, and develop strategies for profit growth. Furthermore, one must coordinate with other department staff to ensure accuracy, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
The duties of a finance leader depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around monitoring the sales and financial operations in a company, preparing financial reports and statements, finding new sales opportunities, identifying the market and client needs, and maintaining records of all financial transactions. There are also instances where a finance leader may set and allocate budgets, perform audits in costs and expenditures, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Finance controllers and finance leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Finance Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Average salary | $105,869 | $117,284 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $156,000 | Between $78,000 And $174,000 |
| Highest paying City | Yonkers, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Sage Memorial Hospital | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a finance controller and a finance leader in terms of educational background:
| Finance Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between finance controllers' and finance leaders' demographics:
| Finance Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5% | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 10.0% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |