Plant Controller Salary in the United States

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  3. > Plant Controller
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Last Updated: July 08, 2026

$139,098 USD

per year
Hourly Rate $66.87
Bonus $11,517

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Entry Level $96K
Average $139K
Senior Level $170K

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The average pay for a Plant Controller is $139,098, which is $66.87 an hour in the United States. The average salary range for a Plant Controller is between $95,560 and $169,838. On average, a Bachelor's is the highest level of education for a Plant Controller.

This compensation analysis comes from aggregated salary survey data for the United States. ERI's compensation information is based on employer-reported data collected from ERI's salary surveys, customer HRIS data, data from Proxies/10Ks and Forms 990, proprietary databases, and purchased survey data. Cost-of-labor data in the Assessor Series are based on actual housing sales data from commercially available sources, plus rental rates, gasoline prices, consumables, medical care premium costs, property taxes, effective income tax rates, etc. For more information, see ERI's methodology.

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Salary Potential for Plant Controller

Explore the estimated salary growth for Plant Controller in the United States for up to 5 years. The estimated salary of Plant Controller in 1 year will be $142,965, and in 5 years, will be $159,541.

Number of Years

2 Years

Estimated Salary

$146,940 USD

Percentage Growth

0%

Growth Trajectory

The estimated salary growth for Plant Controller in [# of years] is [salary], which is [average growth %] average growth. This information is based on ERI's compensation database.

What Does a Plant Controller Do?

Directs financial affairs of a plant. Provides financial analyses of operations for guidance of management, and prepares reports that outline plant's financial position in areas of income, expenses, and earnings, based on past, present, and future operations. Oversees preparation of budgets and financial forecasts.

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Education, Skills, and Certifications for Plant Controllers

Gain access to salary differentials for education and skills in ERI's Salary Assessor

Education

Below is the average education level for a Plant Controller. About 66% have a Bachelor's degree, 33% have a Master's degree, and 1% have a Associate degree.

  • Bachelor's Degree 66%
  • Master's Degree 33%
  • Associate Degree 1%
  • Doctorate Degree 0%
  • High School Diploma 0%
  • Less Than HS 0%

Top Skills

Below are top skills for a Plant Controller. 95% of Plant Controllers have a skill in Advises management. The top 3 most popular skills for Plant Controllers are Advises management, Determines depreciation, and Financial record analysis.

  • Advises management 95%
  • Determines depreciation 30%
  • Financial record analysis 15%
  • Information analysis 15%
  • Assigns duties 10%

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Compare Plant Controller Salaries by Location

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Average Salaries for Plant Controller

The average salary of plant controller in the United States is $139,098. The average salary of plant controller in California is $155,073. The average salary of plant controller in Canada is $128,371. Explore the average salaries for plant controller in other locations below.

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Cost of Living in the United States

The cost of living in the United States is 0% equal to than the national average.

Whether you're planning to move or just want to see the cost of living in different locations, our cost-of-living calculator is the place to start. Compare salaries for other locations by city, U.S. ZIP code, state, or country.

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Why Your Salary May Look Different

This information is based on a specific job title and location, but real-world compensation can vary based on factors like years of experience, company size, shift differentials, and more. Because of these variables, your actual pay may fall above or below the average ranges shown. Use ERI's salary data and compensation management platform to identify market trends and accurately adjust pay so that you can price jobs competitively.

Based on the average salary in the United States, if your shift differential is 10%, then your pay will increase by $6.69/hour

*Some jobs may not be adjusted using shift differentials. Please contact [email protected] for additional information.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Plant Controller salaries and career insights

How much does a Plant Controller make in the United States?

ERI's data indicated that, on average, a Plant Controller is $139,098 per year or $66.87 per hour in the United States, which is equal to the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $169,838. However, the typical pay range in the United States, is between $95,560 and $169,838 annually.

What is the salary potential for Plant Controller in 5 years?

Plant Controller is projected to see 14.7% salary growth in 5 years.

What are some factors that impact Plant Controller salaries?

Several factors can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can provide opportunities to earn more. Use our salary calculator to find out how much you should be paid based on what someone in your area, with similar experience, earns.

How can I accurately price jobs for my organization?

There are several factors that can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, education, certificates, shift differentials, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can help you spot pay gaps and retain top talent. ERI's Assessor Platform brings these factors together in one platform, making it easy to benchmark roles, analyze insights, and set pay with confidence.

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ERI Economic Research Institute was founded over 35 years ago to provide trusted compensation data for private and public organizations. ERI has established itself as a gold standard for global salary benchmarking and geographic differentials and has evolved to offer a complete compensation management software solution.

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With decades of experience in compensation, ERI offers an extensive and reliable salary survey database powered by the Assessor Platform, a comprehensive compensation management solution that optimizes complex processes for accuracy and efficiency.

HR and compensation professionals in organizations ranging from small companies to the Fortune 500 rely on ERI's Assessor Platform to:

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ERI's team of PhD-level data scientists and seasoned compensation professionals review and validate our salary data approximately every six weeks, ensuring the accuracy of the data that we publish. Learn more about our methodology.

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About Our Data

This page is an excerpt of the much more complete compensation information available in ERI's Assessor Series.

For over 35 years, ERI has compiled the most robust and accurate salary, cost-of-living, and executive compensation survey database available. Data are analyzed using AI and traditional statistics, depending on which approach is best for a particular application. ERI collects salary survey data from five different sources, which you can learn about here.

Verified Sources

Data sourced from internal salary surveys, purchased surveys, public sources, HRIS data, and proprietary databases.

Real-Time Data

Our salary database is updated and verified approximately every six weeks.

Quality Assurance

Along with our data scientists, we have included AI in our rigorous process to analyze and provide the highest quality data.

10,500+

Locations

35,900+

Job Titles

4,400+

Skills

5,500+

Certifications

1,100+

Industries

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