Unit controller education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a unit controller. Unit controllers usually study accounting, business, or finance. 71% of unit controllers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,005 real unit controller resumes to see exactly what unit controller education sections show.

The most common colleges for unit controllers are the Michigan State University and the Michigan State University.

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

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

What education do you need to become a unit controller?

What degree do you need to be a unit controller?

The most common degree for unit controllers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of unit controllers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 71%

Master's, 20%

Associate, 6%

High School Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a unit controller?

You should major in accounting to become a unit controller. 43% of unit controllers major in accounting. Other common majors for a unit controller include business and finance.

Accounting, 43%

Business, 26%

Finance, 13%

Economics, 3%

Other Majors, 15%

Most common colleges for unit controllers

Unit controllers often get their degrees at Michigan State University, San Jose State University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for unit controllers in the US based on their resumes.

Unit controller common college	Percentages
Michigan State University	7.69%
San Jose State University	7.69%
University of Phoenix	7.69%
University of Pittsburgh	5.98%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	5.98%

Show more common unit controller colleges

Best majors for unit controllers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Accounting	43.1%
2	Business	26.1%
3	Finance	13.5%
4	Economics	3.4%
5	Management	2.6%

Show more common unit controller majors

Best colleges for unit controllers

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

A unit 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 unit 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 unit 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 unit controllers

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7. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

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8. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

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9. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow

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Top 10 most affordable universities for unit controllers

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

If the best universities for unit 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 unit 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 unit controllers

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

Some great schools for unit 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 unit 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 unit controllers

The easiest schools for unit 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 unit 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 unit 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 unit controller salary by education level

Unit controllers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $139,393 annually. With a Master's degree, unit controllers earn a median annual income of $132,389 compared to $115,016 for unit controllers with an Bachelor's degree.

Unit controller education level	Unit controller salary
Master's Degree	$132,389
High School Diploma or Less	$92,017
Bachelor's Degree	$115,016
Doctorate Degree	$139,393
Some College/ Associate Degree	$92,005

Unit controller education FAQs

What is the best college for Unit Controllers?

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Search for unit controller jobs

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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