Controller Salary Guide for Minnesota

Controller compensation in Minnesota varies more than most job boards suggest. The following is general market guidance based on current Twin Cities hiring activity — actual offers depend heavily on company size, industry, and the specific scope of the role.

Typical Controller Compensation in the Twin Cities

Controller base salaries in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro generally fall between $100,000 and $170,000, with the wide range reflecting real differences in scope rather than inconsistent market pricing. A Controller at a single-site company with a small team sits toward the lower end; a Controller managing multi-entity consolidation, a larger accounting team, or systems implementation responsibility sits toward the upper end.

What Drives Where You Land in the Range

• Industry — manufacturing and distribution Controllers who own cost accounting and inventory valuation typically command more than general-ledger-only roles
• Team size and structure — direct management of a full accounting team pays more than an individual-contributor-heavy role
• Single-site vs. multi-site or multi-entity — consolidation experience is a real premium
• ERP and systems ownership — Controllers who've led a systems implementation or migration are priced higher

Nearby Roles for Context

Assistant Controller roles in the Twin Cities generally run $90,000–$115,000, and Accounting Manager roles run roughly $100,000–$135,000 — both meaningfully below Controller but with real overlap at the boundaries depending on the specific company's title conventions.

These ranges are general market guidance, not a quote for any specific search — actual compensation depends on your company's size, industry, and the scope you're hiring for. If you want a read on where a specific role should land, that's exactly the kind of conversation we have with clients before a search starts.