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The average salary for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Finance Officer (CFO) in the United States is approximately $158,615 per year. This figure reflects the combined responsibilities of strategic leadership and financial oversight, essential for any organization. Salaries vary significantly based on factors such as industry, geographic location, and years of experience in the field.
Several states and cities offer higher average salaries for CEOs and CFOs. For example, locations with a strong financial sector or corporate headquarters typically provide the most lucrative opportunities. Cities like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles often report higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for experienced executives.
Each state presents unique opportunities and challenges, impacting overall salary potential.
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The highest-paying states for chief executive officer/chief finance officers are Washington, Nevada, and Massachusetts. The lowest average chief executive officer/chief finance officer salary states are Iowa, South Dakota, and Montana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $185,935 | $89.39 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $170,008 | $81.73 |
| 3 | Nevada | $172,441 | $82.90 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $164,777 | $79.22 |
| 5 | Texas | $158,593 | $76.25 |
| 6 | New York | $169,316 | $81.40 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $157,619 | $75.78 |
| 8 | Missouri | $151,921 | $73.04 |
| 9 | Virginia | $167,745 | $80.65 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $142,417 | $68.47 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $150,928 | $72.56 |
| 12 | Arizona | $143,998 | $69.23 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $140,987 | $67.78 |
| 14 | Ohio | $144,720 | $69.58 |
| 15 | Florida | $158,312 | $76.11 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $146,867 | $70.61 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $176,132 | $84.68 |
| 18 | Georgia | $140,040 | $67.33 |
| 19 | Illinois | $139,141 | $66.89 |
| 20 | Delaware | $147,267 | $70.80 |
| 21 | Alabama | $139,654 | $67.14 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $134,813 | $64.81 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $132,714 | $63.80 |
| 24 | California | $149,588 | $71.92 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $161,419 | $77.61 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $132,799 | $63.85 |
| 27 | Michigan | $132,947 | $63.92 |
| 28 | Maryland | $136,716 | $65.73 |
| 29 | Colorado | $131,346 | $63.15 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $126,689 | $60.91 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $130,605 | $62.79 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $129,735 | $62.37 |
| 33 | Vermont | $126,798 | $60.96 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $129,343 | $62.18 |
| 35 | Oregon | $138,582 | $66.63 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $122,352 | $58.82 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $115,613 | $55.58 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $123,714 | $59.48 |
| 39 | Alaska | $132,019 | $63.47 |
| 40 | Kansas | $123,799 | $59.52 |
| 41 | Idaho | $104,413 | $50.20 |
| 42 | Utah | $115,757 | $55.65 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $117,365 | $56.43 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $119,727 | $57.56 |
| 45 | Indiana | $115,060 | $55.32 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $114,755 | $55.17 |
| 47 | Iowa | $113,311 | $54.48 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $112,881 | $54.27 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $93,887 | $45.14 |
| 50 | Maine | $103,544 | $49.78 |
| 51 | Montana | $110,593 | $53.17 |
The highest-paying cities for chief executive officer/chief finance officers are Cambridge, MA, New York, NY, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge, MA | $183,211 | $88.08 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $181,483 | $87.25 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $178,401 | $85.77 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $167,455 | $80.51 |
| 5 | Branford, CT | $165,085 | $79.37 |
| 6 | Santa Monica, CA | $153,027 | $73.57 |
| 7 | Wilmington, DE | $151,815 | $72.99 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $146,448 | $70.41 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $142,157 | $68.34 |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | $138,021 | $66.36 |
| 11 | Duluth, MN | $134,005 | $64.43 |
| 12 | Greeley, CO | $131,706 | $63.32 |
A chief executive officer/chief finance officer's salary ranges from $99,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $253,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $253,000 | $21,083 | $122 |
| 75th Percentile | $202,000 | $16,833 | $97 |
| Average | $158,615 | $13,218 | $76 |
| 25th Percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59 |
| 10th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
The highest paying types of chief executive officer/chief finance officers are president/chief executive officer, executive vice president, and president & chief operating officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controller, Vice President | $161,965 | $13,497 | $77.87 | 67,401 |
| Administration Vice President | $132,284 | $11,024 | $63.60 | 48,271 |
| Corporate Vice President | $165,788 | $13,816 | $79.71 | 69,051 |
| Finance Manager | $101,374 | $8,448 | $48.74 | 125,345 |
| Finance Vice President | $147,603 | $12,300 | $70.96 | 111,219 |
| Finance Director | $118,518 | $9,877 | $56.98 | 90,012 |
Top companies hiring chief executive officer/chief finance officers now:
Chief executive officer/chief finance officer salaries at Gartner and Duluth Public Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief executive officer/chief finance officer salary at companies like Ancera and Zacks Investment Management are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gartner | $176,017 | $84.62 |
| 2 | Duluth Public Schools | $162,374 | $78.06 |
| 3 | Ancera | $146,595 | $70.48 |
| 4 | Zacks Investment Management | $138,876 | $66.77 |
| 5 | Banner Health | $137,312 | $66.02 |
| 6 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $134,737 | $64.78 |
| 7 | Nomura Securities | $127,647 | $61.37 |
| 8 | Wells Fargo | $122,957 | $59.11 |
| 9 | LifePoint Health | $117,299 | $56.39 |
The average chief executive officer/chief finance officer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $148,012 | $71.16 |
| 2 | Professional | $146,141 | $70.26 |
| 3 | Health Care | $144,008 | $69.23 |
| 4 | Finance | $138,959 | $66.81 |
| 5 | Government | $89,853 | $43.20 |
The average chief executive officer/chief finance officer salary has risen by $16,241 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief executive officer/chief finance officer earned $142,374 annually, but today, they earn $158,615 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for chief executive officer/chief finance officers over the last decade.
Compare chief executive officer/chief finance officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare chief executive officer/chief finance officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $159,000 | $76.26 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | $157,000 | $75.65 | -2.8% |
| 2023 | $162,000 | $77.75 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $156,000 | $75.16 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $155,000 | $74.31 | +3.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overlake Hospital Medical Center | Chief Financial Officer/Healthcare Finance Executive | Bellevue, WA | 06/26/2025 | $250,000 |
| Servicenow | SR. Director, Executive Communications-President and CFO | Santa Clara, CA | 03/26/2025 | $216,500 |
| The University of Melbourne | Executive Officer To The Chief Financial Officer | Parkville, MD | 02/19/2025 | $106,432 |
| Savvy, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer Cowen Partners Executive Search ⋅ Kansas City Metropolita | Columbia, MO | 02/17/2025 | $200,000 |
| Unitedhealth Group | CEO of Payment Network-Optum Financial | San Francisco, CA | 02/09/2025 | $250,000 |
| Unitedhealth Group | CEO of Payment Network-Optum Financial | Eden Prairie, MN | 02/09/2025 | $250,000 |
| Unitedhealth Group Inc. | CEO of Payment Network-Optum Financial | New York, NY | 02/08/2025 | $250,000 |
| Bank of America N.A. | Managing Director; CFO Data Management Executive | Charlotte, NC | 12/19/2024 | $450,000 |
| County of Ventura (Ca | CEO Budget, Finance and Systems Analyst | Oxnard, CA | 12/18/2024 | $126,618 |
| Impact Legal Resources LLC | Executive Director/Cfo | New York, NY | 12/12/2024 | $175,000 |
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