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The differences between finance controllers and projects controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a finance controller, becoming a projects controller takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a finance controller has an average salary of $105,869, which is higher than the $79,451 average annual salary of a projects controller.
The top three skills for a finance controller include CPA, payroll and financial controller. The most important skills for a projects controller are project management, financial analysis, and project controller.
| Finance Controller | Projects Controller | |
| Yearly salary | $105,869 | $79,451 |
| Hourly rate | $50.90 | $38.20 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 97,342 | 16,334 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
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.
A project controller is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of project management procedures, ensuring that the team adheres to the clients' specifications and requirements, and keeping all project resources and deliverables within the budget goals and set timeframe. Project controllers determine the progress of the project and coordinate the updates to the client, adjusting the project approach as needed to achieve high-quality standards and objectives. They also maintain an organized report of expenditures, as well as generating process reports to identify potential process improvement techniques that will maximize operational efficiency.
Finance controllers and projects controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Finance Controller | Projects Controller | |
| Average salary | $105,869 | $79,451 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $156,000 | Between $53,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Yonkers, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Sage Memorial Hospital | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a finance controller and a projects controller in terms of educational background:
| Finance Controller | Projects Controller | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between finance controllers' and projects controllers' demographics:
| Finance Controller | Projects Controller | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5% | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |