Side-by-side distribution
Controller
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 30.8%
- Live roles
- 610
Tax Specialist
$135,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 39.3%
- Live roles
- 488
Highest-paying jobs
Revenue & Accounting Operations Controller
Corporate Controller
Controller
Controller
Partner 36, Corporate Controller
Assistant Controller
Controller
Assistant Controller
Corporate Controller
Controller
Highest-paying jobs
Tax Manager
Manager, Indirect Tax
Senior Tax Manager
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
Tax, Senior Manager
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
Senior Manager, Tax Technology
Tax Senior Manager
Tax Senior Manager (Real Estate)
Senior Tax Manager, Compliance
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Air Apps
|
$43,650 | 9 |
Crosscountry Consulting
|
$152,000 | 7 |
Attivo Partners
|
$182,500 | 5 |
Metropolis
|
$180,000 | 3 |
The Symicor Group
|
$125,000 | 3 |
Cheer Home Care
|
$124,800 | 3 |
|
a16z
|
$305,000 | 2 |
LangChain
|
$212,500 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Ascend Partner Firms
|
$160,000 | 23 |
Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, Focus Partners Business Management
|
$107,500 | 9 |
| AX Axon | $163,837 | 8 |
Oscar Health
|
$100,811 | 8 |
| MA Mercer Advisors | $115,500 | 7 |
Focus Financial Partners
|
$103,500 | 7 |
Remote
|
$72,793 | 6 |
StockX
|
$125,000 | 4 |
Controller salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $212,500 | 15 |
| New York | $192,250 | 27 |
| Los Angeles | $177,500 | 13 |
| Seattle | $160,000 | 3 |
| Chicago | $157,500 | 8 |
| Austin | $156,250 | 4 |
| London | $122,469 | 4 |
| Toronto | $98,166 | 8 |
Controller vs Tax Specialist: which pays more?
The median for Controller is $175,000 per year (typically $130,625–$209,688), versus $135,000 for Tax Specialist ($105,940–$159,600). That puts Controller about 30% 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.