Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salary in the United States

How much does an Accountant (Accounting Controller) make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for an Accountant (Accounting Controller) in the United States is $63,036 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, an Accountant (Accounting Controller)'s salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $73,057
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $58,029 to $68,281
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $53,471
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View as table View as graph 25% $58,029 10% $53,471 90% $73,057 75% $68,281 $63,036 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $68,281 $5,690 $1,313 $33
Average $63,036 $5,253 $1,212 $30
25th Percentile $58,029 $4,836 $1,116 $28
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Key Factors That Influence Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salaries

An Accountant (Accounting 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 Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Accountant (Accounting 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): $61,943
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $72,005
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $83,448
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $99,454
  • Expert (over 8 years): $140,236
Levels Salary
Accountan... Level Accountant (Accounting Controller)$61,943
Accountan... Level Accountant (Accounting Controller)$72,005
Accountan... Level Accountant (Accounting Controller)$83,448
Accountan... Level Accountant (Accounting Controller)$99,454
Accountan... Level Accountant (Accounting Controller)$140,236
$61,943 0 yr
$72,005 < 2 yrs
$83,448 2-4 yrs
$99,454 5-8 yrs
$140,236 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Accountant (Accounting Controller)s. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $69,793.
  • California: $69,528.
  • Massachusetts: $68,602.

Top Paying Cities for Accountant (Accounting Controller)s

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: $79,507
  • San Francisco: $78,725
  • Oakland: $76,979

What Skills Can Increase an Accountant (Accounting Controller)'s Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • CPA (Mentioned in 2.85% Job Postings): A CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, is a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 1.48% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.06%
CPA 2.85%
Bookkeeping 1.48%
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 an Accountant (Accounting Controller)'s salary.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coordination
$66,818
6%
Leadership
$66,818
6%
Collaboration
$65,557
4%
Initiative
$65,557
4%
Analysis
$65,557
4%
Finance and Accounting
$65,557
4%
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How Education impacts an Accountant (Accounting Controller)'s Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Accountant (Accounting Controller)s enter the field with a Associate'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 an Accountant (Accounting Controller) with a Associate's Degree is between $59,751 and $63,023).

Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Accountant (Accounting Controller)
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.8%
High School 7.3%
Associates 10.9%
Bachelors 59.5%
Masters 17.7%
Doctorate 0.8%
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Accountant (Accounting Controller) Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Accountant (Accounting 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 March 01, 2026

Salaries of jobs related to Accountant (Accounting Controller)

Salary Trends for Accountant (Accounting Controller)

Salaries for an Accountant (Accounting Controller) can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,175 in 2023 to around $54,876 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Accountant (Accounting Controller) salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Accountant (Accounting Controller) Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$55,175
2024
$55,087
2025
$54,876
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $55,175
2024 $55,087
2025 $54,876
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Accountant (Accounting Controller)

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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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.)

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