Side-by-side distribution
Controller
$135,100
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25.4%
- Live roles
- 1,622
Trader
$150,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 27.7%
- Live roles
- 498
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
Quant Trader- E- Trading Municipal Bonds - Director
Long End Treasuries Trader
Trader
Trader, Investment Grade Credit
Securitized Products Sales - Trader
Interest Rate Volatility Trader Executive Director
Campus Quantitative Trader (Intern)
US Equity Index Options Trader
US Credit Solutions Trading – Structured Credit Trader
Summer Intern 2027 - Quantitative Trader
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 |
|---|---|---|
Fidelity Investments
|
$69,500 | 17 |
Gelber Group
|
$96,000 | 6 |
Optiver
|
$200,000 | 5 |
DV Trading
|
$140,000 | 5 |
IMC
|
$250,000 | 4 |
|
Deutsche Bank
|
$209,375 | 4 |
| DR DRW | $200,000 | 4 |
Penn Interactive
|
$46,487 | 4 |
Controller salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $241,250 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $215,000 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | $186,250 | 12 |
| Denver | $180,800 | 6 |
| New York | $175,000 | 45 |
| Boston | $171,250 | 6 |
| Chicago | $156,603 | 9 |
| Seattle | $140,923 | 4 |
| Atlanta | $130,000 | 3 |
| Toronto | $92,472 | 5 |
Controller vs Trader: which pays more?
The median for Controller is $135,100 per year (typically $92,163–$185,000), versus $150,000 for Trader ($96,250–$200,000). That puts Trader about 11% 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.