Side-by-side distribution
Accountant
$97,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 34.8%
- Live roles
- 1,395
Controller
$165,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.4%
- Live roles
- 622
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Accountant
Accountant & Financial Analyst
Senior Accountant
Senior Accountant
Senior Accountant
Senior Accountant (Management Accounting)
SEC Accountant
Accountant / Finance (Senior/Lead)
Accountant (TV)
Senior Accountant (Contract to Hire)
Highest-paying jobs
Revenue & Accounting Operations Controller
Revenue & Accounting Operations Controller
Controller
Corporate Controller
Partner 36, Corporate Controller
Assistant Controller
Controller
Controller, Vice President of Accounting
Assistant Controller
Corporate Controller
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Remote Raven
|
$20,800 | 13 |
HireHawk
|
$19,200 | 9 |
Oscar Health
|
$100,811 | 8 |
| LP Lincoln Property Company through LinkedIn | $130,000 | 6 |
Focus Financial Partners
|
$96,750 | 6 |
Metropolis
|
$82,500 | 6 |
Anduril Industries
|
$114,500 | 5 |
Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, Focus Partners Business Management
|
$103,500 | 5 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Air Apps
|
$43,650 | 9 |
Attivo Partners
|
$182,500 | 5 |
Crosscountry Consulting
|
$172,125 | 4 |
|
Metropolis
|
$180,000 | 3 |
The Symicor Group
|
$125,000 | 3 |
Cheer Home Care
|
$124,800 | 3 |
| IE Industrial Electric Manufacturing | $68,120 | 3 |
|
Versapay
|
$534,560 | 2 |
Accountant salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $118,750 | 12 |
| San Francisco | $112,250 | 34 |
| Austin | $111,750 | 4 |
| Atlanta | $109,906 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | $105,000 | 17 |
| New York | $102,656 | 72 |
| Chicago | $102,500 | 41 |
| Seattle | $100,000 | 7 |
| Denver | $96,906 | 12 |
| Toronto | $83,500 | 7 |
Controller salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $220,000 | 17 |
| New York | $192,250 | 23 |
| Denver | $183,750 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | $176,250 | 14 |
| Seattle | $159,997 | 4 |
| Chicago | $158,750 | 6 |
| London | $123,339 | 4 |
| Toronto | $103,672 | 4 |
Accountant vs Controller: which pays more?
The median for Accountant is $97,500 per year (typically $75,000–$111,800), versus $165,000 for Controller ($129,375–$205,125). That puts Controller about 69% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Accountant and Controller are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.