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Compensation Watch ’19: Controllers

Posted on by Jason Bramwell

TPTB would like Adrienne and I to try to post an article each week that is compensation-related because, well, you guys like money and you guys like to read about how much money you could or should be making.

So now that Randstad just released its 2019 Salary Guide, and Robert Half and Accounting Principals released their 2019 salary projections at the end of last August, we’ll take a look at the earning potential this year for certain positions within accounting and finance. If there’s a job you want us to feature, email me and Adrienne and we’ll consider it.

Because today is Valentine’s Day, I’m showing controllers some love. Many of today’s corporate controllers began their careers toiling away in public accounting. And you don’t need to be a CPA to have a successful career as a controller. Plus, the position pays pretty well.

Randstad

Randstad organizes executive titles by interquartile ranges across three levels of company revenue: small ($50 million), mid ($100 million), and large ($250 million or more). Here’s its 2019 salary projection for controllers:

  • Small: $126,730 – $226,511
  • Mid: $138,157 – $246,934
  • Large: $152,743 – $273,005

Robert Half

In their 2019 Accounting and Finance Salary Guide, Robert Half reported starting pay ranges by percentile, and there are four: 25th (newbies), 50th (average experience), 75th (above-average experience), and 95th (significant experience and expertise).

Salary figures represent the national averages. Bonuses, benefits, and other forms of compensation aren’t factored into the starting salary ranges, according to the guide.

Robert Half lists salary projections for corporate controller and controller in industry. Here’s its 2019 salary projection for both:

Corporate controller

  • 25th: $105,500
  • 50th: $173,750
  • 75th: $197,750
  • 95th: $262,750

Controller

  • 25th: $92,000
  • 50th: $118,250
  • 75th: $140,500
  • 95th: $207,750

Accounting Principals

Unlike Bob Half’s salary guide, Accounting Principals’ 2019 Salary Guide for Accounting & Finance Professionals features salaries and total cash compensation figures. The data in the guide is broken into three categories: average base salary by company size (small, medium, and large; base salary (low, high, and average); and total cash compensation (low, high, and average). Here’s its salary projections in each of the three categories:

Base salary by company size

  • Small: $133,589
  • Medium: $161,132
  • Large: $246,808

Base salary

  • Low: $125,602
  • High: $291,914
  • Average: $196,434

Total cash compensation

  • Low: $137,848
  • High: $411,633
  • Average: $238,236

So those of you who are controllers, look about right? Or are you shuffling to your boss’s office, with this data in hand, asking for a raise? Let us know what you think.

Related Posts

Comp Watch ’11: The Wait Is Nearly Over at Grant Thornton

From the mailbag, a tipster quotes his OMP:

“Compensation and bonuses have been approved. Final letters will be received from national HR by end of day tomorrow [i.e. today] and will be communicated by your practice leader before August 1.”

Fill us in if you have gotten the news or email us the details.

Three Signs That It Might Be Time to Get Out of Public Accounting

Busy season is rounding the corner and, if you look carefully, you might be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Squint. No I swear, it’s there.

My posts this week will shift from social media to the potential job market. As a public accountant, you should always be cognizant of the fact that you have the ability to continuously develop your strengths and mold your career path. Want to pursue of a career in hedge funds? Network within your firm to be staffed on the right engagements. Need to add tax experience to your resume? Seek out a rotation.


Here are three signs that you should get you thinking about exploring your options.

1. You’ve got your CPA – This might go without saying, but many people enter the public accounting industry with the “two years and done” mentality. Pass the CPA, earn some experience stripes, and get the *$@% out. There’s nothing wrong with this, but don’t expect to $100K jobs to be jumping into your lap. The average salary bump for younger staff from public to the private sector can range from 5-10%, usually topping out around 15%. If this isn’t enough of a bump to seriously consider a private job, don’t lose sight of the quality of life improvement a new job can bring. No, not the smoke and mirrors your firm is promising you. The real deal.

2. Someone you know is interviewing – Believe it or not, the job market is actually improving. The hiring freezes on many financial firms is now limited largely to supporting roles (i.e. HR folks like myself). Hedge and private equity funds are picking up their hiring as the markets begin to thaw. Recruiters are not wasting their time with interviewing individuals for the sole purpose of interviewing. So take note next time your senior staff member has three doctor appointments in a week; perhaps you should be “coming down with a nasty bug,” too.

3. Recruiters call – and you listen – Speaking about recruiters, be prepared for an onslaught of calls. Their timing is no coincidence. The private sector has been shuffling around over the last few months (remember when your client contact suddenly went MIA?), and as the cycle goes, the newly opened private jobs will inevitably be filled by auditors and tax accountants from public. Listen to the cold, scripted calls; be open to a pay increase and better work hours; reclaim your weekends. It can’t hurt to listen to the (substantiated) claims that you’re undervalued in today’s market.

Newsflash: you are grossly undervalued.