Records manager vs document controller

The differences between records managers and document controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a records manager, becoming a document controller takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a records manager has an average salary of $47,265, which is higher than the $41,157 average annual salary of a document controller.

The top three skills for a records manager include office equipment, access database and sharepoint. The most important skills for a document controller are project procedures, data entry, and sharepoint.

Records manager vs document controller overview

	Records Manager	Document Controller
Yearly salary	$47,265	$41,157
Hourly rate	$22.72	$19.79
Growth rate	11%	-8%
Number of jobs	3,204	16,705
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	12	4

What does a records manager do?

The records manager is an important position that handles the creation, organization, and disposal of records. They are also responsible for establishing systems for their management and the maintenance, verification, and evaluation of extant systems. It will require technical and analytical skills, as well as a great deal of integrity for handling sensitive information.

What does a document controller do?

Document controllers take responsibility for controlling the day-to-day management of documents in a department or company. The controllers make sure that document management is accurate, efficient, and always on time. They do control numbers, sort, file, store, and retrieve hard copy and electronic documents. They ensure that the documents undergo legal, security, and regulatory compliance. The skills necessary for this job include computer software program proficiency, analytical experience, data organization knowledge, and typing skills.

Records manager vs document controller salary

Records managers and document controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Records Manager	Document Controller
Average salary	$47,265	$41,157
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $68,000	Between $26,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Paramus, NJ	Hayward, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Accenture	Jacobs Engineering Group
Best paying industry	Professional	Construction

Differences between records manager and document controller education

There are a few differences between a records manager and a document controller in terms of educational background:

	Records Manager	Document Controller
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Records manager vs document controller demographics

Here are the differences between records managers' and document controllers' demographics:

	Records Manager	Document Controller
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	11%

Differences between records manager and document controller duties and responsibilities

Records manager example responsibilities.

Implement and manage projects with complex HL7 interfaces between multiple clinical systems including writing project plans.
Establish compliant records training program to meet objectives in standards such as HIPAA, FOIA.
Develop and execute recordkeeping and docketing system to track activities of multi-district class action litigation, and introduce records retention policies/procedures.
Ensure record privacy, confidentiality, and HIPAA compliance.
Maintain all student records in compliance with HIPPA and Medicaid.
Ensure records are readily available for re-use, regulatory review, audit, and litigation.

Document controller example responsibilities.

Create and manage eRoom used to procure bid proposals from EPC companies for execution phase.
Manage & maintain central filing of all project documentation as per the GASCO document management system (LIVELINK).
Work closely with Dallas wireless data quality manager to achieve ISO certification for Dallas wireless data.
Manage quality of care improvement initiatives for patients and other mandate hospital standards through surveys and information sessions.
Create and implement the RFI process within the project.
Maintain log for RFI's (request for information )

Records manager vs document controller skills

Common records manager skills

Office Equipment, 16%
Access Database, 12%
SharePoint, 10%
DOD, 7%
Nara, 5%
Payroll, 4%

Common document controller skills

Project Procedures, 9%
Data Entry, 9%
SharePoint, 8%
Hard Copy, 7%
Computer Database, 7%
Project Management, 5%

Records Manager vs. similar jobs

Records Manager related careers

Records Manager related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Records Manager
Records Manager vs Document Controller

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs