Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$94,310
To
$125,490
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$166,570
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$125,490
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$219,980
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$186,910
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Controller in USA
$125,490 to $219,980
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$166,570
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$125,490
To
$219,980
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$219,980
To
$323,270
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare controller offers in United States against $94,310 to $125,490.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare controller offers in United States against $125,490 to $219,980.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare controller offers in United States against $219,980 to $323,270.
How USA Salaries Compare With Major Cities for This Role
USA is the national BLS estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Financial Managers, so candidates can compare national pay with city hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$250,570
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$244,930
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$221,800
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$214,610
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$205,640
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$205,010
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$204,650
Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$191,690
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$191,110
USA
United States estimate
$186,910
How Controller Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares controller pay in USA with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
CIO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
CTO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Engineering Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
IT Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
VP of Engineering
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$191,350
Controller
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$186,910
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for controllers in United States is $166,570. The middle market range runs from $125,490 at the 25th percentile to $219,980 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $94,310to $323,270.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $94,310 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $125,490 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $166,570 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $219,980 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $323,270 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Controller to BLS occupation Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031, as the public wage source for Controller.
- BLS area
- United States
- Employment estimate
- 841,710
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median controller salary in United States?
The median annual salary for controllers in United States is $166,570, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Financial Managers.
How much can fresher controller candidates expect in United States?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For controllers in United States, that range is $94,310 to $125,490. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate controller salary range in United States?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For controllers in United States, that range is $125,490 to $219,980.
What do senior controller candidates earn in United States?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For controllers in United States, that range is $219,980 to $323,270.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Financial Managers instead of only Controller?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Controller to Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
How fresh is this USA salary data?
The snapshot uses BLS OEWS 2025, generated from public BLS series. Refresh the snapshot when BLS publishes a newer annual release.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 27 May 2026|Last updated: 30 Jun 2026
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