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Salary guide, May 2025

Senior 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.

Broader occupation · SOC 11-3031 Financial Managers

Senior Plant Controller is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.

$166,570
Financial Managers in U.S.: median $166,570; published 25th to 75th percentile $125,490 to $219,980.
Annual wage percentiles, U.S.
10th25thMedian75th90th
$94,310$125,490$166,570$219,980$323,270
$80.08
Financial Managers in U.S.: median $80.08; published 25th to 75th percentile $60.33 to $105.76.
Hourly wage percentiles, U.S.
10th25thMedian75th90th
$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?

Senior Plant Controller pay in target metros (May 2025)
MetroMedian25th to 75thEmploymentLocation quotient
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$164,230$120,570 to $221,59014,5400.95
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$157,480$111,910 to $204,4508,5001.08
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$140,850$102,700 to $202,2806,1900.81
Raleigh-Cary, NC$163,130$131,060 to $216,2003,6900.92
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$221,010$170,860 to $327,97089,9601.75
Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$221,010$170,860 to $327,97089,9601.75
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$169,200$132,320 to $218,17026,6001.21
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$168,810$131,120 to $220,15041,5901.7

Rank every metro for Senior 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.

  1. Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing$210,870
  2. Tobacco Manufacturing$209,700
  3. Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing$196,090
  4. Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$194,670
  5. Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$192,480
  6. Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$189,140
  7. Apparel Manufacturing$183,720
  8. Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$183,020
  9. Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$179,660
  10. Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing$178,560
  11. Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$177,390
  12. Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$177,390
  13. Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$177,390
  14. Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing$176,090
  15. Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media$175,350

Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.

Senior Plant Controller (SOC 11-3031) by manufacturing industry, national, May 2025
NAICSIndustryEmployment25thMedian75th
31-33Manufacturing46,980$130,010$164,400$211,550
334000Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing6,860$153,490$189,140$237,860
333000Machinery Manufacturing5,490$126,810$160,760$203,330
336000Transportation Equipment Manufacturing5,350$131,410$165,420$207,950
325000Chemical Manufacturing5,240$137,780$171,540$219,160
332000Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing4,630$122,310$152,770$194,730
3330A1Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)3,860$125,610$160,200$201,060
311000Food Manufacturing3,720$128,920$162,360$210,140
339000Miscellaneous Manufacturing2,970$132,440$170,090$222,020
334500Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing2,910$158,980$194,670$233,320
325400Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing2,560$148,160$183,020$227,140
336400Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing2,340$149,970$179,660$219,250
326000Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing2,300$124,420$154,610$194,760
335000Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing2,140$133,220$167,780$209,990
3320A1Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)2,080$126,780$159,540$202,900
334400Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing1,990$162,950$192,480$253,860
326100Plastics Product Manufacturing1,910$124,810$155,000$198,430
339100Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing1,850$142,680$177,390$236,350
3250A1Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)1,740$133,810$166,490$211,930
336300Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing1,730$121,030$139,780$174,520
3320A2Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)1,510$117,830$145,650$187,170
322000Paper Manufacturing1,340$131,230$158,600$183,890
331000Primary Metal Manufacturing1,320$122,220$153,650$197,660
339900Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing1,120$120,520$155,390$200,970
312000Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing1,080$99,990$134,010$180,350
322200Converted Paper Product Manufacturing1,050$129,900$158,740$188,340
312100Beverage Manufacturing1,020$99,990$132,030$173,510
323000Printing and Related Support Activities1,020$116,240$145,320$191,740
323100Printing and Related Support Activities1,020$116,240$145,320$191,740
334100Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing940$141,140$178,560$248,040
3250A2Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)930$128,660$163,920$207,830
335900Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing900$140,110$176,090$226,590
327000Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing870$124,610$145,630$170,170
327000Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing870$124,610$145,630$170,170
332700Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing870$117,770$150,800$186,050
335300Electrical Equipment Manufacturing850$127,350$161,700$195,460
337000Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing800$116,720$142,790$189,820
311900Other Food Manufacturing790$136,440$170,190$219,920
333300Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing730$130,600$165,700$214,130
3370A1Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)680$115,410$144,730$194,860
321000Wood Product Manufacturing670$106,930$139,850$178,510
334200Communications Equipment Manufacturing650$137,880$170,260$225,150
311400Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing550$127,470$162,640$210,950
332710Machine Shops530$114,350$149,980$185,220
311800Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing520$129,890$160,770$209,270
311600Animal Slaughtering and Processing490$118,430$143,930$204,990
333500Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing480$116,580$151,080$175,500
324000Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing460$139,360$177,390$240,310
324100Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing460$139,360$177,390$240,310
311500Dairy Product Manufacturing420$129,270$163,840$201,740
333600Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing410$135,470$166,910$217,200
336100Motor Vehicle Manufacturing400$131,410$164,000$206,490
321900Other Wood Product Manufacturing390$105,470$148,040$187,620
326200Rubber Product Manufacturing390$119,620$145,670$179,760
331100Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing340$110,040$142,990$208,470
332720Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing340$121,720$151,260$189,370
336600Ship and Boat Building340$130,780$162,400$207,240
311200Grain and Oilseed Milling320$130,540$160,830$205,910
336200Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing320$126,250$147,410$182,690
311300Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing300$134,100$166,030$207,000
331500Foundries300$118,300$148,660$172,780
315000Apparel Manufacturing280$134,550$183,720$269,990
322100Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills280$136,690$158,460$177,550
315200Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing260$140,700$196,090$270,000
311100Animal Food Manufacturing250$123,940$163,950$224,400
335100Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing250$140,850$174,990$270,140
331400Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing240$122,150$155,210$193,410
313000Textile Mills230$126,820$155,490$217,170
331300Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing230$131,560$158,340$200,140
334300Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing220$166,740$210,870$245,860
331200Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel200$126,360$166,810$229,850
332800Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities170$116,990$149,990$182,700
314000Textile Product Mills160$107,720$146,060$185,190
321100Sawmills and Wood Preservation150$104,330$144,960$180,450
334600Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media150$152,200$175,350$223,060
313200Fabric Mills140$125,520$155,450$215,830
335200Household Appliance Manufacturing140$127,530$161,720$176,120
336900Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing140$131,130$169,200$207,390
321200Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing130$109,830$131,020$155,890
337900Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing120$120,630$139,990$173,540
314900Other Textile Product Mills100$107,220$148,460$185,110
311700Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging80$100,000$153,630$196,860
313300Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills80$128,330$165,720$209,760
336500Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing80$136,760$164,800$183,710
316000Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing70$104,580$130,970$165,720
312200Tobacco Manufacturing60$168,150$209,700$253,960
314100Textile Furnishings Mills60$107,800$136,880$195,430
339910Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing50$92,440$156,040$181,990

What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?

For Senior Plant Controller, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. 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?

Senior Plant Controller in the United States, annual wages, May 2024 and May 2025
Release period25thMedian75th
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 a move that can hold up?

Someone working in plant controllers already accountable for difficult manufacturing finance work needs a clear reason to leave. If the answer depends on authority over plant finance decisions in a complex operating and accounting environment that you cannot offer, that mismatch belongs in the conversation before an offer.

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 Senior 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?

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.

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

Senior Plant Controller is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. 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?

Download this role brief (PDF)

The figures are public. Send the role and your contact details to get the file. You can tell us more afterwards.

Underlying BLS figures for this role (JSON)

Reading this wage estimate

What does this data mean for your opening?

Senior plant controllers provide cost and inventory judgments directly to the plant leadership team. We analyze this role using the Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031) national dataset, which shows a median of $166,570, up $4,870 from the prior median of $161,700. The middle band width is $94,490, based on the P25 and P75 figures of $125,490 and $219,980.

Note that BLS data consists of base wages and does not reflect total cash compensation, such as annual bonuses.

Manufacturing industries illustrate specific pay premiums for this occupation. Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing reports a median of $210,870, Tobacco Manufacturing $209,700, and Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing $196,090. These industry figures offer a sharper focus than the national general average. Since the BLS does not have a unique code for plant controllers, these broader categories provide the most relevant frame of reference for the seniority expected in this position.

High-employment metros highlight regional pay variances. New York reports a median of $221,010 and a middle band width of $157,110. Chicago shows a median of $168,810 with a middle band width of $89,030. Manufacturing Headhunters observes these differences as standard for major industrial hubs. The location quotient is a tool to measure industry presence, not candidate availability. This role requires specific senior accounting scope, meaning the candidate should demonstrate the ability to present findings to leadership, not just manage multi-site authority. Use the published middle band width to calibrate offers for different levels of technical and communication expertise.

Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?

How should I handle the broad occupational scope for this role?

Since no specific code covers senior plant controllers, you should map the position's core requirements to the P25-P75 middle band. This ensures your budget remains consistent with the broader financial management market.

Are the comparison metros indicative of regional trends?

Yes, they show higher pay concentrations than the national median. Use these specific benchmarks to understand your budget requirements when hiring in these high-volume markets.

Why are bonuses excluded from these salary figures?

The BLS provides data on base wages only, omitting any performance-based incentives. Add these benefits to your budget to remain competitive for senior-level plant roles.

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