Are you interested in knowing what the average salary of a comptroller is? As the chief accountant or financial officer of the state or a specific governmental agency, the comptroller holds a significant amount of responsibility. They will oversee the state budget, audit state finances, oversee the spending of state funds, collect taxes, pay state employees, prepare financial reports, examine contracts and educate the taxpayers about current tax issues. With all of this responsibility must come a fair, livable salary. Read on, and learn how much comptrollers in the public sector earn so that you can decide what you would like to do with your accounting degree.
What is the Salary Range?
Comptroller is one of the better paying jobs that you can choose to pursue if you want to work in the public sector. If you hold this title, knowing what the salary range is reported to be can help you determine if this is the route you would like to go. According to Glassdoor, the average comptroller salary is $68,500 per year with the lowest paid professionals earning $42,000 and the highest paid in the field earning $118,000. Typically, entry-level professionals will earn an average of $65,000 per year and then move up to a range of $100,000 with a moderate level of experience. Experience and education level significantly influence the salary that comptrollers earn.
What Are the Educational Requirements to Become a Comptroller?
Now that you know how much you can earn in the field, it is important to find out what level of education you will need to complete to get attention. Because you have a lot of responsibility in finance and administration, you will need to be well-educated to land this position. To seek comptroller positions anywhere, you need a minimum of a Bachelor’s in Accounting. It may also be necessary to earn a Master’s degree in finance or in accounting to get even more attention as a candidate. Possessing your CPA license or another closely related designation can also give you leverage in the field.
How to Get Hired as a Comptroller
Becoming a comptroller is not the same as becoming an employee in the private sector. While you can get hired with the proper level of education and experience, not even education and experience is always enough. As a public finance official who is in charge of auditing, you will need to become a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors to show that you are competent in the field. You will also need to gain a reputation in the public sector with high ranking officials so that you can get elected or selected for the role.
Related Resource: Treasury Analyst
The job prospects for financial comptroller positions are good, but growth in the field is slow. You must consider how often the positions come open, how many professionals are needed in your area, and what the competition in the field is like before you choose this path. If you are willing to work hard to climb your way up the ladder and you can get the experience that helps you build your knowledge and skills, this could be the path that you should take. Find out what the salary of a comptroller is in your area, and then start planning.
