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The differences between projects controllers and senior directors of finance can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a projects controller, becoming a senior director of finance takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a senior director of finance has an average salary of $137,505, which is higher than the $79,451 average annual salary of a projects controller.
The top three skills for a projects controller include project management, financial analysis and project controller. The most important skills for a senior director of finance are SR, business development, and financial management.
| Projects Controller | Senior Director Of Finance | |
| Yearly salary | $79,451 | $137,505 |
| Hourly rate | $38.20 | $66.11 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 16,334 | 98,470 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
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.
The senior director of finance is responsible for the company's financial wellness. Finance directors are constituents of the senior executive team that incorporate operational and strategic roles, maintain accounting and financial control functions, and set up a financial strategy for the continued profitable growth of the business. Their responsibilities include supervising financial operations, managing and providing ongoing training to accounting personnel, and conducting the weekly and monthly financial evaluation. Also, the director will initiate budgets, allocate funds for capital projects, create annual financial plans and projections, as well as conduct an evaluation of financial risks and benefits on a business enterprise.
Projects controllers and senior directors of finance have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Projects Controller | Senior Director Of Finance | |
| Average salary | $79,451 | $137,505 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $118,000 | Between $88,000 And $212,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Foster City, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a projects controller and a senior director of finance in terms of educational background:
| Projects Controller | Senior Director Of Finance | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between projects controllers' and senior directors of finance' demographics:
| Projects Controller | Senior Director Of Finance | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% | Male, 74.5% Female, 25.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |