Controller.
Cincinnati.
$136,000
median salary, 9% below the national average
$105,000 to $180,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Controller offer in Cincinnati, OH, here is the reality: $105,000 to $180,000, with $136,000 as the midpoint. 9% below the national average. Company revenue and organizational complexity are the dominant pay factors. Do not accept the first number.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $123,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$88,000
to $109,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$116,000
to $143,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$150,000
to $177,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$170,000
to $211,000
Salary trend
+5% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $28,000 to the total package.
Base
$136,000
Equity
$15,000
Bonus
$10,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $164,000
How Cincinnati compares
Cincinnati, OH
$136,000
Cost of living: 10% below average
National Average
$150,000
Cincinnati is $14,000 below
Controller salary by city
Salary by role in Cincinnati
What you should know
The Controller landscape in Cincinnati is not what most salary sites will tell you. Cincinnati is home to Procter and Gamble, Kroger, and a growing fintech scene. The city's extremely affordable cost of living and strong corporate base create excellent purchasing power. The University of Cincinnati feeds a steady pipeline of engineering and business talent. Company revenue and organizational complexity are the dominant pay factors. Controllers at companies generating $100 million or more in revenue earn 25 to 40% more than those at smaller firms. Public company experience, especially SEC reporting and SOX compliance expertise, commands significant premiums over private company controller roles.
Senior accountants earn $80,000 to $100,000 before advancing. Accounting managers earn $100,000 to $130,000. Assistant controllers reach $120,000 to $160,000. Controllers earn $140,000 to $200,000. The path to CFO typically goes through VP of Finance at $180,000 to $260,000. In Cincinnati, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Annual bonuses of 15 to 25% tied to audit outcomes, reporting accuracy, and financial close timelines are standard. Equity grants at pre-IPO companies can be substantial, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 annually. Controllers often receive professional development budgets for CPA CPE. And on the tax side: ohio's income tax tops out around 3.5%. Cincinnati adds an earnings tax of 1.8%. The combined rate is moderate and the very low cost of living offsets it significantly. When someone quotes you $136,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage P&G and Kroger benchmarks. These Fortune 500 companies set salary floors that ripple across all professional roles in the Cincinnati metro. The range for Controllers in Cincinnati runs from $105,000 to $180,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Machine Learning Engineer in Cincinnati earns $137,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Cincinnati is Distinguished Engineer at $300,000
Common questions.
Controller salary in other cities
Other salaries in Cincinnati
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