Treasurers and Controllers
SOC code 11-3031 · O*NET-SOC 11-3031.01 · Considerable preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Treasurers and Controllers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$166,570
a year
Hourly
$80.08
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$186,910
$89.86 per hour
Middle 50%
$125,490 – $219,980
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$94,310 – $323,270
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
841,710
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Financial Managers”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $94,310
- $45.34/hr
- 25th percentile
- $125,490
- $60.33/hr
- Median percentile
- $166,570
- $80.08/hr
- 75th percentile
- $219,980
- $105.76/hr
- 90th percentile
- $323,270
- $155.42/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+15%
Growing much faster than average
868,600
jobs in 2024
997,400
projected for 2034
About 128,800 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do treasurers and controllers do?
Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Monitor financial activities and details, such as cash flow and reserve levels, to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met.
- Evaluate needs for procurement of funds and investment of surpluses and make appropriate recommendations.
- Develop and maintain relationships with banking, insurance, and external accounting personnel to facilitate financial activities.
- Delegate authority for the receipt, disbursement, banking, protection, and custody of funds, securities, and financial instruments.
- Prepare and file annual tax returns or prepare financial information so that outside accountants can complete tax returns.
- Receive, record, and authorize requests for disbursements in accordance with company policies and procedures.
- Supervise employees performing financial reporting, accounting, billing, collections, payroll, and budgeting duties.
- Advise management on short-term and long-term financial objectives, policies, and actions.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a treasurers and controllers earn?
The national median is $166,570 a year. The full range runs from $94,310 at the 10th percentile to $323,270 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a treasurers and controllers without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is treasurers and controllers in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 15% between 2024 and 2034 — growing much faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Mathematics4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
Knowledge areas
- Economics and Accounting4.6/5
- Administration and Management3.9/5
- Mathematics3.9/5
- English Language3.7/5
- Computers and Electronics3.0/5
- Administrative2.8/5
- Personnel and Human Resources2.7/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.6/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Management of Financial Resources.