Side-by-side distribution
Controller
$165,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.4%
- Live roles
- 622
Tax Specialist
$137,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 40.5%
- Live roles
- 482
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
Highest-paying jobs
Tax Manager
Senior Manager, Tax - VAT
Senior Manager, Tax - Provisions
Manager, Indirect Tax
Senior Tax Manager
Senior Manager, Tax Operations
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
Tax, Senior Manager
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
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 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Ascend Partner Firms
|
$160,000 | 23 |
Focus Financial Partners
|
$103,500 | 11 |
Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, Focus Partners Business Management
|
$107,500 | 9 |
| AX Axon | $163,837 | 8 |
Oscar Health
|
$100,811 | 8 |
| MA Mercer Advisors | $122,500 | 7 |
Remote
|
$72,090 | 6 |
SpaceX
|
$152,500 | 4 |
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 |
Controller vs Tax Specialist: which pays more?
The median for Controller is $165,000 per year (typically $129,375–$205,125), versus $137,500 for Tax Specialist ($105,505–$160,000). That puts Controller about 20% 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.