Director of Finance Salary

By Henry Steele - January 8, 2018
Reading Time: 11 minutes

The following article discusses the career path of Director of Finance. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Director of Finances.

Job Duties

Directors of finance have numerous general management duties, including performance evaluation, hiring, scheduling, and so on. They head the finance team, ensuring that strategic plans are in place to meet the financial objectives of the company. As such, they must conduct financial analyses, projections, and accounting duties. They also have to identify financial risks and areas that can be improved on, thereby avoiding mistakes and increasing profits.

They also periodically create financial reports, presenting those to the rest of the management team. They may have to identify financial markets that can be tapped into, including potential mergers and acquisitions, in an effort to grow the company. A director of finance will usually work in an office environment with occasional travel, particularly if the business has multiple branches.

Other job duties of a director of finance are:

  • To manage budget preparation, accounting activities, and forecasts
  • To direct business planning, staff operations, compliance, and budget development in the finance department
  • To oversee the financial reporting and regulatory preparation, ensuring full compliance
  • To create strategies and policies and procedures in relation to financial data and reports

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 580,400 financial managers in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:

  • Finance and insurance: 29%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services: 12%
  • Management of companies and enterprises: 11%
  • Government: 7%
  • Manufacturing: 7%

How to Become

It is generally expected that a director of finance holds a graduate degree, preferable the master of business administration (MBA), although finance or economics are also accepted. Some employers will accept those with only a bachelor’s degree if they have sufficient experience and are willing to complete a graduate degree at a later stage.

Education Requirements

Directors of finance will typically have at least five years of experience at management level in a financial field, as well as holding a graduate degree. They often have a background as a financial analyst, securities sales agent, or accountant.

The most acceptable master’s degree is the MBA, although those in economics, accounting, and finance are also acceptable. These graduate degrees demonstrate that an individual has the necessary analytical skills and understanding of software and financial analysis.

There is no requirement for a director of finance to be certified, but a certification can improve career prospects. The Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) is a highly respected certification, and so with the Certified Treasury Professional offered by the Association for Financial Professionals. Some directors of finance are licensed as a Chartered Public Accountant (CPA), which is provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Traits & Qualities

The most effective directors of finance have the following traits to some degree or other:

  • Strong analytical skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with a particular focus on report writing
  • Detail oriented
  • Great mathematical skills
  • Very organized
  • Strong team workers

Minimum Education

Master’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Director of Finance was $99,996. This number is estimated from over 1,624,824 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $52.08 and monthly of $8,333.

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$23,000

$229,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Director of Finance salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, New York had the largest quoted salary of $125,213 while North Dakota had the smallest quoted salary of $62,645.

Alaska Idaho Montana Pennsylvania
Alabama Illinois North Carolina Rhode Island
Arkansas Indiana North Dakota South Carolina
Arizona Kansas Nebraska South Dakota
California Kentucky New Hampshire Tennessee
Colorado Louisiana New Jersey Texas
Connecticut Massachusetts New Mexico Utah
DC Maryland Nevada Virginia
Florida Michigan New York Vermont
Georgia Minnesota Ohio Washington
Hawaii Missouri Oklahoma Wisconsin
Iowa Mississippi Oregon
Alaska – $93,329 Rank: 21st

The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like City of Saint Paul.

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$38,000

$173,000

Salary Distribution
Alabama – $79,339 Rank: 37th

The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like AUTOMATION PERSONNEL, Vaco, LLC, Automation Personnel Services, and Nigel Frank International.

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$16,000

$191,000

Salary Distribution
Arkansas – $76,356 Rank: 39th

The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Express Employment Professionals, University of Arkansas, and Superior Auto Group.

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$16,000

$183,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $93,600 Rank: 20th

The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Catalina Foothills School District, Prestige Ford, Ledgent Finance & Accounting, and The Bolton Group.

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$21,000

$216,000

Salary Distribution
California – $115,283 Rank: 4th

The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Management Resources, University of California, Santa Barbara, Ralph Andersen & Associates, and City Of San Bruno.

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$36,000

$237,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $80,610 Rank: 34th

The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Jefferson County Public Schools, Town of Milliken, University of Colorado, and Larimer Humane Society.

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$20,000

$182,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $111,724 Rank: 5th

The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tunxis Community College, Bohan & Bradstreet, Inc., JCJ, LLC, and Robert Half.

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$31,000

$242,000

Salary Distribution
DC – $115,492 Rank: 3rd

The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Georgetown University, Internal Revenue Service, Congressional Research Service, and Clinical Management Consultants.

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$41,000

$227,000

Salary Distribution
Florida – $90,215 Rank: 24th

The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Prestige Ford, JWM Group, LLC, Air Energi America, and Steven Douglas Associates.

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$20,000

$211,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $96,586 Rank: 15th

The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Georgia, StaffPointe, Emory University, and CHASE Professionals.

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$24,000

$217,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $101,007 Rank: 9th

The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Maui Nonprofit and Interregional Med-Exec Group, Inc..

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$38,000

$194,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $80,306 Rank: 36th

The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Iowa Wesleyan University, and Accountemps.

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$19,000

$183,000

Salary Distribution
Idaho – $69,285 Rank: 44th

The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Kootenai County.

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$21,000

$144,000

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $100,617 Rank: 11th

The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Marcum Search LLC, CFS Inc., Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and Sears.

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$21,000

$241,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $85,483 Rank: 31st

The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Indiana University South Bend, Medtech, State of Indiana, and Creative Financial Staffing.

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$17,000

$205,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $80,474 Rank: 35th

The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Kansas Department of Health and Environment, University of Kansas, Butler Community College, and Washburn University.

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$14,000

$210,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $75,915 Rank: 40th

The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Kentucky, City of Henderson, and Northern Kentucky Area Development District.

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$17,000

$175,000

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $73,069 Rank: 42nd

The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like South Louisiana Community College.

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$15,000

$175,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $110,320 Rank: 6th

The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Michael Page, CyberCoders, Huxley Associates, and Daley and Associates.

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$28,000

$247,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $100,894 Rank: 10th

The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Porsche Club of America, Johns Hopkins University, Harford Community College, and Anne Arundel Community College.

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$30,000

$214,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $92,193 Rank: 23rd

The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Robert B. Miller College, Kforce Finance and Accounting, Venteon, and Career Development Partners.

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$23,000

$207,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $95,736 Rank: 17th

The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Minnesota, City of Isanti, eVantage Financial LLC., and University of Minnesota.

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$24,000

$215,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $89,320 Rank: 25th

The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CITY OF HANNIBAL, Missouri State University, Midwest Dealer Group, and Beacon Hill Staffing.

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$17,000

$217,000

Salary Distribution
Mississippi – $68,571 Rank: 46th

The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$14,000

$165,000

Salary Distribution
Montana – $86,513 Rank: 29th

The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The HealthCare Initiative and CyberCoders.

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$35,000

$161,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $93,279 Rank: 22nd

The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Express Employment Professionals, University of North Carolina, HENDERSON, and North Carolina State University.

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$18,000

$226,000

Salary Distribution
North Dakota – $62,645 Rank: 47th

The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Abused Adult Resource Center.

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$31,000

$102,000

Salary Distribution
Nebraska – $69,238 Rank: 45th

The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Peru State College.

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$16,000

$159,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $103,806 Rank: 7th

The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$22,000

$247,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $119,426 Rank: 2nd

The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Middlesex County College, Henderson Harbor Group, Parker and Lynch, and GSP International.

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$38,000

$245,000

Salary Distribution
New Mexico – $79,338 Rank: 38th

The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like New Mexico State Personnel Office.

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$24,000

$166,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada – $97,146 Rank: 13th

The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, Randstad, Randstad Professionals, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$29,000

$205,000

Salary Distribution
New York – $125,213 Rank: 1st

The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Marcum Search LLC, Resume Library, and Selby Jennings.

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$30,000

$286,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $88,305 Rank: 27th

The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Day Star Staffing, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Ohio State University, and Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority.

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$20,000

$204,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $86,349 Rank: 30th

The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like City of Duncan, Kube and Company, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

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$23,000

$188,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $87,527 Rank: 28th

The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Oregon Humane Society, Creative Financial Staffing, State of Oregon, and Now CFO.

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$31,000

$171,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $98,521 Rank: 12th

The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Carlisle Borough, Springettsbury Township, ITT Educational Services Inc., and University of Pittsburgh.

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$25,000

$219,000

Salary Distribution
Rhode Island – $102,026 Rank: 8th

The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Rhode Island and Metro Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.

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$28,000

$222,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $84,097 Rank: 32nd

The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, StaffPointe, Tri-County Technical College, and Technical College of the Lowcountry.

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$18,000

$199,000

Salary Distribution
South Dakota – $75,412 Rank: 41st

The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Nigel Frank International and South Dakota State Government.

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$24,000

$153,000

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $88,493 Rank: 26th

The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Motlow State Community College, and Sovereign Executive Search.

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$26,000

$187,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $96,906 Rank: 14th

The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like All US Jobs, CASTLEBERRY ISD, MOORE Executive Search, and Kforce Finance and Accounting.

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$23,000

$219,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $72,725 Rank: 43rd

The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like All Resort Group / Lewis Stages, University of Utah, and Salt Lake Community College.

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$17,000

$168,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $95,901 Rank: 16th

The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Surry County Public Schools, and Reynolds Community College.

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$27,000

$206,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont – $80,614 Rank: 33rd

The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Vermont.

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$32,000

$149,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $94,685 Rank: 18th

The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Everett Community College, Tacoma Community College, Pacific Lutheran University, and Highline Community College.

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$20,000

$226,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $94,301 Rank: 19th

The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like AfterCollege, Inc., Racine County, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Lakeview Health Systems.

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$24,000

$211,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Director of Finance. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer Name Location Average Salary
Bank of America Merrill Lynch New York $269,064
Marcum Search LLC New York $250,000
Prestige Ford Arizona $240,000
Michael Page Massachusetts $227,460
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Kansas $225,000
Midwest Dealer Group Missouri $225,000
Resume Library New York $215,000
Selby Jennings Washington $213,454
Kforce Finance and Accounting Michigan $211,406
Microsoft Washington $195,268
JWM Group, LLC Florida $190,324
Parker+Lynch New York $189,010
The Odyssey Group New York $188,628
CFS Inc. Illinois $184,045
Trinity Health Ohio $180,000
SystemsAccountants New York $179,270
MOORE Executive Search Texas $175,000

Learn More

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Henry Steele
Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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