Salary guide, May 2025

Plant Controller pay, United States

Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.

This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.

The median annual wage for Financial Managers in the United States was $166,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $125,490 and $219,980.

Also searched as: Plant Finance Manager, Site Controller. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.

Broader occupation · SOC 11-3031 Financial Managers

BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.

Financial Managers in U.S.: median $166,570; published 25th to 75th percentile $125,490 to $219,980.

Annual wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$94,310	$125,490	$166,570	$219,980	$323,270

Financial Managers in U.S.: median $80.08; published 25th to 75th percentile $60.33 to $105.76.

Hourly wage percentiles, U.S.
10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
$45.34	$60.33	$80.08	$105.76	$155.42

BLS estimated 841,710 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-3031 Financial Managers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

How does pay compare in the target metros?

Plant Controller pay in target metros (May 2025)
Metro	Median	25th to 75th	Employment	Location quotient
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$164,230	$120,570 to $221,590	14,540	0.95
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$157,480	$111,910 to $204,450	8,500	1.08
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$140,850	$102,700 to $202,280	6,190	0.81
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$163,130	$131,060 to $216,200	3,690	0.92
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$221,010	$170,860 to $327,970	89,960	1.75
Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$221,010	$170,860 to $327,970	89,960	1.75
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$169,200	$132,320 to $218,170	26,600	1.21
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$168,810	$131,120 to $220,150	41,590	1.7

Rank every metro for Plant Controller

What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?

Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$189,140
Apparel Manufacturing (NAICS 315000)$183,720
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$177,390
Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$171,540
Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$170,090
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$167,780
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$165,420
Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$162,360
Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$160,760
Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$158,600
Textile Mills (NAICS 313000)$155,490
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$154,610
Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$153,650
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$152,770
Textile Product Mills (NAICS 314000)$146,060

Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.

Plant Controller (SOC 11-3031) by manufacturing industry, national, May 2025
NAICS / scope	Industry	Employment	25th	Median	75th
31-33 · sector	Manufacturing	46,980	$130,010	$164,400	$211,550
334000 · 3-digit	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	6,860	$153,490	$189,140	$237,860
333000 · 3-digit	Machinery Manufacturing	5,490	$126,810	$160,760	$203,330
336000 · 3-digit	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	5,350	$131,410	$165,420	$207,950
325000 · 3-digit	Chemical Manufacturing	5,240	$137,780	$171,540	$219,160
332000 · 3-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	4,630	$122,310	$152,770	$194,730
3330A1 · 4-digit	Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	3,860	$125,610	$160,200	$201,060
311000 · 3-digit	Food Manufacturing	3,720	$128,920	$162,360	$210,140
339000 · 3-digit	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	2,970	$132,440	$170,090	$222,020
334500 · 4-digit	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	2,910	$158,980	$194,670	$233,320
325400 · 4-digit	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	2,560	$148,160	$183,020	$227,140
336400 · 4-digit	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	2,340	$149,970	$179,660	$219,250
326000 · 3-digit	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	2,300	$124,420	$154,610	$194,760
335000 · 3-digit	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	2,140	$133,220	$167,780	$209,990
3320A1 · 4-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)	2,080	$126,780	$159,540	$202,900
334400 · 4-digit	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	1,990	$162,950	$192,480	$253,860
326100 · 4-digit	Plastics Product Manufacturing	1,910	$124,810	$155,000	$198,430
339100 · 4-digit	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	1,850	$142,680	$177,390	$236,350
3250A1 · 4-digit	Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)	1,740	$133,810	$166,490	$211,930
336300 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	1,730	$121,030	$139,780	$174,520
3320A2 · 4-digit	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)	1,510	$117,830	$145,650	$187,170
322000 · 3-digit	Paper Manufacturing	1,340	$131,230	$158,600	$183,890
331000 · 3-digit	Primary Metal Manufacturing	1,320	$122,220	$153,650	$197,660
339900 · 4-digit	Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	1,120	$120,520	$155,390	$200,970
312000 · 3-digit	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	1,080	$99,990	$134,010	$180,350
322200 · 4-digit	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	1,050	$129,900	$158,740	$188,340
312100 · 4-digit	Beverage Manufacturing	1,020	$99,990	$132,030	$173,510
323000 · 3-digit	Printing and Related Support Activities	1,020	$116,240	$145,320	$191,740
323100 · 4-digit	Printing and Related Support Activities	1,020	$116,240	$145,320	$191,740
334100 · 4-digit	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	940	$141,140	$178,560	$248,040
3250A2 · 4-digit	Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)	930	$128,660	$163,920	$207,830
335900 · 4-digit	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	900	$140,110	$176,090	$226,590
327000 · 3-digit	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	870	$124,610	$145,630	$170,170
332700 · 4-digit	Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	870	$117,770	$150,800	$186,050
335300 · 4-digit	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	850	$127,350	$161,700	$195,460
337000 · 3-digit	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing	800	$116,720	$142,790	$189,820
311900 · 4-digit	Other Food Manufacturing	790	$136,440	$170,190	$219,920
333300 · 4-digit	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	730	$130,600	$165,700	$214,130
3370A1 · 4-digit	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)	680	$115,410	$144,730	$194,860
321000 · 3-digit	Wood Product Manufacturing	670	$106,930	$139,850	$178,510
334200 · 4-digit	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	650	$137,880	$170,260	$225,150
311400 · 4-digit	Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing	550	$127,470	$162,640	$210,950
332710 · 5-digit	Machine Shops	530	$114,350	$149,980	$185,220
311800 · 4-digit	Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing	520	$129,890	$160,770	$209,270
311600 · 4-digit	Animal Slaughtering and Processing	490	$118,430	$143,930	$204,990
333500 · 4-digit	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	480	$116,580	$151,080	$175,500
324000 · 3-digit	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	460	$139,360	$177,390	$240,310
324100 · 4-digit	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	460	$139,360	$177,390	$240,310
311500 · 4-digit	Dairy Product Manufacturing	420	$129,270	$163,840	$201,740
333600 · 4-digit	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	410	$135,470	$166,910	$217,200
336100 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	400	$131,410	$164,000	$206,490
321900 · 4-digit	Other Wood Product Manufacturing	390	$105,470	$148,040	$187,620
326200 · 4-digit	Rubber Product Manufacturing	390	$119,620	$145,670	$179,760
331100 · 4-digit	Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing	340	$110,040	$142,990	$208,470
332720 · 5-digit	Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	340	$121,720	$151,260	$189,370
336600 · 4-digit	Ship and Boat Building	340	$130,780	$162,400	$207,240
311200 · 4-digit	Grain and Oilseed Milling	320	$130,540	$160,830	$205,910
336200 · 4-digit	Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	320	$126,250	$147,410	$182,690
311300 · 4-digit	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	300	$134,100	$166,030	$207,000
331500 · 4-digit	Foundries	300	$118,300	$148,660	$172,780
315000 · 3-digit	Apparel Manufacturing	280	$134,550	$183,720	$269,990
322100 · 4-digit	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	280	$136,690	$158,460	$177,550
315200 · 4-digit	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	260	$140,700	$196,090	$270,000
311100 · 4-digit	Animal Food Manufacturing	250	$123,940	$163,950	$224,400
335100 · 4-digit	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	250	$140,850	$174,990	$270,140
331400 · 4-digit	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	240	$122,150	$155,210	$193,410
313000 · 3-digit	Textile Mills	230	$126,820	$155,490	$217,170
331300 · 4-digit	Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing	230	$131,560	$158,340	$200,140
334300 · 4-digit	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	220	$166,740	$210,870	$245,860
331200 · 4-digit	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	200	$126,360	$166,810	$229,850
332800 · 4-digit	Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities	170	$116,990	$149,990	$182,700
314000 · 3-digit	Textile Product Mills	160	$107,720	$146,060	$185,190
321100 · 4-digit	Sawmills and Wood Preservation	150	$104,330	$144,960	$180,450
334600 · 4-digit	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	150	$152,200	$175,350	$223,060
313200 · 4-digit	Fabric Mills	140	$125,520	$155,450	$215,830
335200 · 4-digit	Household Appliance Manufacturing	140	$127,530	$161,720	$176,120
336900 · 4-digit	Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	140	$131,130	$169,200	$207,390
321200 · 4-digit	Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing	130	$109,830	$131,020	$155,890
337900 · 4-digit	Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing	120	$120,630	$139,990	$173,540
314900 · 4-digit	Other Textile Product Mills	100	$107,220	$148,460	$185,110
311700 · 4-digit	Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging	80	$100,000	$153,630	$196,860
313300 · 4-digit	Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills	80	$128,330	$165,720	$209,760
336500 · 4-digit	Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing	80	$136,760	$164,800	$183,710
316000 · 3-digit	Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing	70	$104,580	$130,970	$165,720
312200 · 4-digit	Tobacco Manufacturing	60	$168,150	$209,700	$253,960
314100 · 4-digit	Textile Furnishings Mills	60	$107,800	$136,880	$195,430
339910 · 5-digit	Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing	50	$92,440	$156,040	$181,990

What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?

For Plant Controller, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.

An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure. Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.

Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.

What should you know about two BLS releases?

Plant Controller in the United States, annual wages, May 2024 and May 2025
Release period	25th	Median	75th
May 2024	$118,360	$161,700	$214,210
May 2025	$125,490	$166,570	$219,980

These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.

Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.

What should you know about cost systems and what they reveal?

A plant controller should explain how standards are set, how often they are updated and which variances matter. Purchase price, material usage, labor efficiency and overhead absorption each tell a different story. We ask candidates to walk through a real variance, from the number to the cause on the floor.

Those who speak of conversations with supervisors and engineers, and of changes to routings or standards, show the partnership employers want.

What should you know about questions?

Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.

What is the median pay for a Plant Controller?

The median annual wage for Financial Managers in the United States was $166,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $125,490 and $219,980. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.

What does the 10th percentile mean here?

10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $94,310. 90% earned less than $323,270.

Does this include overtime or bonuses?

Is this the pay for a Plant Controller at a plant?

BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.

How many people work in this occupation?

BLS estimated 841,710 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.

What should you know about related?

Underlying BLS figures for this role (JSON)

Reading this wage estimate

What does this data mean for your opening?

Manufacturing Headhunters analyzes the Plant Controller role, currently mapped to the Financial Managers SOC. For Plant Controller in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $166,570; the May 2024 median is $161,700. Their arithmetic difference is $4,870. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause.

For Plant Controller in the United States, percentiles describe the wage distribution of the mapped occupation. The published middle interval is $125,490 to $219,980 annually. They do not assign pay to plant size, seniority, credentials or job complexity. Assess duties and candidate requirements separately; these rows do not measure a premium for them.

Manufacturing sector medians reflect distinct differences by product category. Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing reports a median of $210,870, while Tobacco Manufacturing shows $209,700. Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing sits at $196,090. For Plant Controller in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded. BLS data does not account for the specific technical certifications like CPA or CMA common for this role.

Regional concentration varies across major hubs. New York-Newark-Jersey City shows a median of $221,010 and a location quotient of 1.75. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin lists a median of $168,810 with a location quotient of 1.7. These metros feature significant financial manager employment. Because these stats aggregate diverse financial management roles, the median salary figures should be treated as broad, macro-economic markers rather than localized market rates for Plant Controllers.

The Plant Controller focus includes standard cost builds, variance analysis regarding labor and overhead absorption, physical inventory oversight, and capital expenditure justification. These specific plant-based technical duties are not isolated in the current BLS data structure. Recruiting strategies must rely on actual market testing for controller roles, as the aggregate SOC covers too wide a range of financial functions to use as a primary salary predictor.

Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?

How does the wide middle band width affect the benchmarking for a Plant Controller?

Do the provided salary figures capture performance-based incentives for controllers?

For Plant Controller in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.

Why is the median salary in the tobacco industry listed as $209,700?

This median is the aggregate for all financial managers within the tobacco industry, not specifically for plant controllers. It illustrates the general compensation level for financial leadership in that industry sector.