Side-by-side distribution
Controller
$135,100
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25.3%
- Live roles
- 1,613
Tax Specialist
$139,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 35.8%
- Live roles
- 1,923
Highest-paying jobs
Field Service Controller
Corporate Controller
Corporate Controller
Managing Director - Accounting Advisory (Operational Accounting/Controller)
Controller
VP, Controller
Controller
VP, Controller
Vice President, Corporate Controller
Managed Services - Private Asr - Controller
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Tax Manager, International
Senior Tax Manager, International
Tax Senior Manager - Washington National Tax - Financial Instruments
Tax Senior Manager - Mergers and Acquisitions - Deal Advisory
Senior Manager International Tax M&A
Sales & Use Tax Senior Manager
Specialized Tax Services - Research & Development Tax - Senior Manager
Tax Operations Transformation - Senior Manager
Tax Innovation - AI Engineer - Senior Manager
Tax Senior Manager - Global Information Reporting
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
CACI
|
$119,300 | 10 |
Air Apps
|
$41,929 | 10 |
Towne Park
|
$33,280 | 7 |
|
Crosscountry Consulting
|
$192,250 | 6 |
| MS Morgan Stanley | $125,000 | 6 |
Attivo Partners
|
$171,600 | 5 |
| MT M&T Bank | $99,500 | 5 |
NAV CANADA
|
$154,425 | 4 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
RSM
|
$152,025 | 84 |
|
PwC
|
$182,500 | 77 |
| BT Baker Tilly | $132,105 | 63 |
Ascend Partner Firms
|
$160,000 | 23 |
BDO Canada
|
$107,000 | 22 |
Plante Moran
|
$152,500 | 20 |
Cherry Bekaert
|
$138,300 | 20 |
EisnerAmper
|
$163,750 | 16 |
Controller salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $241,250 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $211,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $186,250 | 12 |
| Denver | $180,800 | 6 |
| Boston | $171,250 | 6 |
| New York | $169,650 | 42 |
| Chicago | $150,801 | 8 |
| Seattle | $140,923 | 4 |
| Atlanta | $130,000 | 3 |
| Toronto | $92,472 | 5 |
Tax Specialist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $182,500 | 152 |
| San Francisco | $182,500 | 88 |
| Los Angeles | $182,500 | 77 |
| Chicago | $182,500 | 135 |
| Boston | $182,500 | 84 |
| Atlanta | $182,500 | 53 |
| Seattle | $174,750 | 48 |
| Denver | $171,300 | 50 |
| Austin | $161,875 | 26 |
| Toronto | $114,253 | 42 |
Controller vs Tax Specialist: which pays more?
The median for Controller is $135,100 per year (typically $92,163–$184,000), versus $139,500 for Tax Specialist ($110,000–$180,000). That puts Tax Specialist about 3% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Controller and Tax Specialist 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.