State Controller Salary in the United States

How much does a State Controller make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a State Controller in the United States is $97,121 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $47.

However, a State Controller's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $112,214
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $89,116 to $105,021
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $81,827
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View as table View as graph 25% $89,116 10% $81,827 90% $112,214 75% $105,021 $97,121 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

State Controller Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $105,021 $8,752 $2,020 $50
Average $97,121 $8,093 $1,868 $47
25th Percentile $89,116 $7,426 $1,714 $43
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Key Factors That Influence State Controller Salaries

A State Controller's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects State Controller Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a State Controller's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $95,453
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $96,009
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,121
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $101,333
  • Expert (over 8 years): $103,622
Levels Salary
Entry Level State Controller$95,453
Intermediate Level State Controller$96,009
Senior Level State Controller$97,121
Specialist Level State Controller$101,333
Expert Level State Controller$103,622
$95,453 0 yr
$96,009 < 2 yrs
$97,121 2-4 yrs
$101,333 5-8 yrs
$103,622 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for State Controllers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $122,499
  • San Francisco: $121,294
  • Oakland: $118,604

What Skills Can Increase a State Controller's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Team Development (Mentioned in 3.93% Job Postings): Building and developing effective teams to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
  • JavaScript (Mentioned in 1.84% Job Postings): Using JavaScript in the development and maintenance of Web-based application systems.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Team Development 3.93%
Software Development 2.98%
JavaScript 1.84%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a State Controller's salary.
  • Python: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Android: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Linux: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Python
$102,948
6%
Android
$101,977
5%
Linux
$101,977
5%
Debugging
$101,977
5%
Networking
$101,006
4%
Computer Science
$101,006
4%
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How Education impacts a State Controller's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many State Controllers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a State Controller with a Bachelor's Degree is between $102,178 and $106,839).

State Controller Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for State Controller
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 2.8%
Associates 6.1%
Bachelors 52.6%
Masters 36.4%
Doctorate 1.4%
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State Controller Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a State Controller's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for State Controller

Salaries for a State Controller can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $100,440 in 2023 to around $100,896 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of State Controller salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of State Controller Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$100,440
2024
$101,078
2025
$100,896
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $100,440
2024 $101,078
2025 $100,896
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for State Controller

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for State Controller

Here are companies hiring for State Controller and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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