Side-by-side distribution
CFO
$222,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 19%
- Live roles
- 343
Controller
$165,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.4%
- Live roles
- 622
Highest-paying jobs
1.1. Chief Financial Officer
VP of Finance
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
CFO, Prism Media LLC
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
VP, Finance
VP, Finance
Chief Financial Officer
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 |
|---|---|---|
CFO Insights
|
$187,539 | 8 |
The Symicor Group
|
$170,000 | 5 |
The Brydon Group
|
$268,750 | 2 |
Hold Brothers
|
$232,500 | 2 |
Black White Zebra
|
$125,000 | 2 |
The Pod Group
|
$112,500 | 2 |
|
Phoenix Tailings
|
$737,500 | 1 |
|
Duolingo
|
$440,000 | 1 |
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 |
CFO salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $301,250 | 8 |
| New York | $275,000 | 17 |
| Los Angeles | $215,000 | 3 |
| London | $187,539 | 9 |
| Chicago | $115,000 | 3 |
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 |
CFO vs Controller: which pays more?
The median for CFO is $222,500 per year (typically $178,850–$283,000), versus $165,000 for Controller ($129,375–$205,125). That puts CFO about 35% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so CFO 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.