Features

• As of May 2010, financial managers earned a mean annual wage of $116,970, according to the Occupational Employment Statistics survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10 percent made $56,120 or less, and the top 10 percent made more than $142, 210 annually. The median salary for financial managers was $103,910. Annual wages are calculated by multiplying the mean hourly wage by 2,080 hours -- the average number of hours worked by full-time employees.
  
  

Industries

• The industries that reported the highest employment levels for financial managers paid mean annual wages ranging from $85,290 to $134,100, with "depository credit intermediation" atop the list with 69,740 employees. The top-paying industry for financial managers was "other financial investment activities" at $168,640. The five highest-paying industries for financial managers all paid a mean hourly wage of $71.00 or more per hour.
  
  

Locations

• The five states with the highest employment levels for financial managers were California, New York, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey. Mean annual wages in these states ranged from $112,410 in Illinois to $155,600 in New York. New York was the highest-paying state for financial managers, followed by New Jersey, Delaware, California and Massachusetts. The top three metropolitan areas for financial managers were New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, with mean annual wages of $168,420, $133,680 and $120,540, respectively.
  
  

Potential

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job growth for financial managers -- including controllers -- will grow by about eight percent through the year 2018. Competition for available jobs will be keen. Candidates with a master's degree and a background in accounting or finance will have the best employment prospects. In addition to salary, controllers may receive bonuses and stock options, especially in senior-level positions.