Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between regional 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 regional controller and a finance leader. Additionally, a finance leader has an average salary of $117,284, which is higher than the $102,904 average annual salary of a regional controller.
The top three skills for a regional controller include internal controls, CPA and payroll. The most important skills for a finance leader are financial analysis, financial management, and business development.
| Regional Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $102,904 | $117,284 |
| Hourly rate | $49.47 | $56.39 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 57,984 | 93,582 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
It is the responsibility of a regional controller to manage the financial reports and finances of the company in a specific geographic location. The regional controllers prepare and coordinate financial reports to ensure compliance with corporate policy and government regulations. They oversee the accounting activities of the corporation. It is their job to coordinate and prepare both external and internal financial statements. They also need to develop skills and knowledge in internal controls, financial management, accounting, payroll, and financial performance.
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.
Regional controllers and finance leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Regional Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Average salary | $102,904 | $117,284 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $153,000 | Between $78,000 And $174,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Sharp | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a regional controller and a finance leader in terms of educational background:
| Regional Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Accounting |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between regional controllers' and finance leaders' demographics:
| Regional Controller | Finance Leader | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6% | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 8.5% White, 64.2% 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% |