Regional controller education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a regional controller. Regional controllers usually study accounting, business, or finance. 80% of regional controllers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,141 real regional controller resumes to see exactly what regional controller education sections show.

The most common colleges for regional controllers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online regional controller courses to help get the education required to be a regional controller.

There are certain regional controller certifications that you should consider. These regional controller certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).

What education do you need to become a regional controller?

What degree do you need to be a regional controller?

The most common degree for regional controllers is bachelor's degree, with 80% of regional controllers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 3%.

Bachelor's, 80%

Master's, 16%

Associate, 3%

Diploma, 0%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a regional controller?

You should major in accounting to become a regional controller. 53% of regional controllers major in accounting. Other common majors for a regional controller include business and finance.

Accounting, 53%

Business, 26%

Finance, 9%

Economics, 2%

Other Majors, 10%

Most common colleges for regional controllers

Regional controllers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, California State University - San Bernardino, and Northern Illinois University. Here are the most common colleges for regional controllers in the US based on their resumes.

Regional controller common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	11.47%
California State University - San Bernardino	6.45%
Northern Illinois University	6.09%
Pennsylvania State University	5.73%
Ohio State University	5.38%

Show more common regional controller colleges

Best majors for regional controllers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	52.9%
2	Business	26.4%
3	Finance	9.4%
4	Economics	2.2%
5	Management	2.0%

Show more common regional controller majors

Best colleges for regional controllers

The best colleges for regional controllers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A regional controller with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for regional controllers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become regional controllers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for regional controllers

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Mastering Internal Controls and Cash Management: Safeguarding Business Assets and Ensuring Financial Accuracy...

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4.4

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IT Compliance Training...

4. Internal Controls - Design, Implementation and Monitoring

4.4

(1,188)

Become a compliance specialist, maintain strong internal controls for SOX or FCPA, prepare for internal & external audit...

5. Audit - Financial Statement

4.4

(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

6. Become an External Auditor - External Audit Process Level 1

4.5

(362)

External Audit Process : Financial Statement Accounting : Business Valuation Methods : Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...

7. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

4.6

(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

8. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

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(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

9. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

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Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

10. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

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Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

11. Principles of Financial Accounting

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Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...

12. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

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Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

13. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals

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Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...

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Master SAP Finance and Controlling...

18. Introductory Financial Accounting

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Learn the basics of Accounting including: the accounting cycle, inventory, depreciation, receivables, and more!...

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Unlock Financial Accounting Mastery: Comprehensive Course for Students, Professionals, and Business Owners...

20. Flexible Budgets, Standard Costs, & Variance Analysis

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Top 10 most affordable universities for regional controllers

The most affordable schools for regional controllers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for regional controllers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for regional controllers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for regional controllers

The hardest universities for regional controllers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for regional controllers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for regional controllers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for regional controllers

The easiest schools for regional controllers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a regional controller without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for regional controllers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average regional controller salary by education level

According to our data, regional controllers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $139,320 annually. Regional controllers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $132,084.

Regional controller education level	Regional controller salary
Master's Degree	$132,084
High School Diploma or Less	$90,655
Bachelor's Degree	$114,192
Doctorate Degree	$139,320
Some College/ Associate Degree	$90,643

Regional controller education FAQs

What is the best college for Regional Controllers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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