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Cost Controller salary in Australia

The median full-time salary for a cost controller is $110,000 per annum, before tax, up $23,200 since 2018.

• Pay follows the sector more than the job title.
• Cost controllers on mining, resources and major infrastructure projects usually earn more than those in public administration or smaller consultancies, and a contract rate on a fixed-term project can sit above a permanent salary.
• Professional accounting membership and depth of experience in a particular cost system are what move you up the band within a sector.

Roles that pay more than cost controller

The largest typical pay rise is $41,000 a year, moving into Financial Controller.

• Financial Controller+$41,000/yr
• Quantity Surveyor+$5,300/yr

How to negotiate a higher cost controller salary

• Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time cost controller salary is $110,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
• Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Management accounting and Budgeting and forecasting tend to command a premium over general cost controller experience, name them specifically when you ask.
• Bring a real alternative to the table. Financial Controller pays a typical $41,000 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
• Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
• Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."

Cost Controller salary questions

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