Side-by-side distribution
Controller
$165,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.4%
- Live roles
- 622
Trader
$150,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 24.8%
- Live roles
- 307
Highest-paying jobs
Revenue & Accounting Operations Controller
Revenue & Accounting Operations Controller
Corporate Controller
Controller
Partner 36, Corporate Controller
Controller
Controller, Vice President of Accounting
Assistant Controller
Corporate Controller
Assistant Controller
Highest-paying jobs
Campus Quantitative Trader (Full-Time)
Summer Intern 2027 - Quantitative Trader
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Campus Full Time 2027 - Quantitative Trader
Senior Quantitative Trader - Delta One
Index Options Volatility Trader
Quantitative Trader - Futures
Client Sales Trader – Liquidity Distribution
Options Trader - Asia Hours
Senior Equity Options Volatility Trader
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 |
|---|---|---|
Gelber Group
|
$96,000 | 11 |
Optiver
|
$200,000 | 7 |
|
IMC
|
$250,000 | 6 |
Akuna Capital
|
$145,000 | 6 |
DV Trading
|
$145,000 | 6 |
|
Jump Trading
|
$300,000 | 3 |
|
Five Rings LLC - Careers
|
$300,000 | 2 |
|
CTC Lateral - Website & LinkedIn
|
$237,500 | 2 |
Controller salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $216,250 | 16 |
| New York | $192,250 | 23 |
| Denver | $183,750 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | $165,000 | 13 |
| Seattle | $159,997 | 4 |
| Chicago | $158,750 | 6 |
| London | $123,339 | 4 |
| Toronto | $103,672 | 4 |
Controller vs Trader: which pays more?
The median for Controller is $165,000 per year (typically $129,375–$205,125), versus $150,000 for Trader ($103,587–$200,000). That puts Controller about 10% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Controller and Trader 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.