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Chief of staff salary
Average chief of staff salary
$130,835
Understanding Chief of Staff Salaries
The salary of a Chief of Staff varies based on several factors, including location, industry, and years of experience. As of October 2025, the average salary is $130,835 per year, translating to about $63 per hour. A Chief of Staff's role often encompasses managing operations, supporting executive leadership, and facilitating communication across departments.
In states such as California and New York, where demand for strategic leadership is high, salaries can exceed the average, reflecting the competitive job market. Additionally, industries like technology and finance tend to offer higher compensation packages, including bonuses and other incentives.
For those considering a career as a Chief of Staff, it's beneficial to research specific companies and regions that are known for competitive salaries. Job seekers can utilize platforms like Zippia to explore salary data, job openings, and career paths within this field, helping them make informed decisions about their future.
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Where can a Chief Of Staff earn more?
Chief of staff salary estimates from across the web
Average chief of staff salary by state
The highest-paying states for chiefs of staff are California, Washington, and Texas. The lowest average chief of staff salary states are Kentucky, Iowa, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chiefs of staff
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $143,397 | $68.94 |
| 2 | Texas | $138,576 | $66.62 |
| 3 | New York | $136,401 | $65.58 |
| 4 | Nevada | $136,446 | $65.60 |
| 5 | Delaware | $133,942 | $64.40 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $138,361 | $66.52 |
| 7 | California | $152,447 | $73.29 |
| 8 | Arizona | $127,817 | $61.45 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $137,092 | $65.91 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $128,874 | $61.96 |
| 11 | Virginia | $136,488 | $65.62 |
| 12 | Florida | $127,307 | $61.21 |
| 13 | Illinois | $119,635 | $57.52 |
| 14 | Oregon | $121,176 | $58.26 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $131,949 | $63.44 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $123,024 | $59.15 |
| 17 | Georgia | $120,541 | $57.95 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $115,799 | $55.67 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $116,371 | $55.95 |
| 20 | Maryland | $126,450 | $60.79 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $131,380 | $63.16 |
| 22 | Ohio | $114,710 | $55.15 |
| 23 | Colorado | $115,637 | $55.59 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $102,348 | $49.21 |
| 25 | Alabama | $109,386 | $52.59 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $108,606 | $52.21 |
| 27 | Michigan | $115,079 | $55.33 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $104,680 | $50.33 |
| 29 | Utah | $100,718 | $48.42 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $104,780 | $50.38 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $102,029 | $49.05 |
| 32 | Missouri | $100,921 | $48.52 |
| 33 | Vermont | $96,959 | $46.61 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $93,134 | $44.78 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $100,336 | $48.24 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $93,406 | $44.91 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $102,015 | $49.05 |
| 38 | Alaska | $107,194 | $51.54 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $101,339 | $48.72 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $93,604 | $45.00 |
| 41 | Idaho | $90,558 | $43.54 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $91,576 | $44.03 |
| 43 | Montana | $89,369 | $42.97 |
| 44 | Indiana | $87,122 | $41.89 |
| 45 | Maine | $77,542 | $37.28 |
| 46 | Iowa | $85,272 | $41.00 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $86,372 | $41.52 |
| 48 | Kansas | $82,563 | $39.69 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $86,449 | $41.56 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $83,524 | $40.16 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $72,894 | $35.05 |
Highest paying cities for chiefs of staff
The highest-paying cities for chiefs of staff are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and San Antonio, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $160,463 | $77.15 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $145,782 | $70.09 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $143,958 | $69.21 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $139,712 | $67.17 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $138,386 | $66.53 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $137,658 | $66.18 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $137,445 | $66.08 |
| 8 | Tampa, FL | $131,867 | $63.40 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $129,530 | $62.27 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $128,426 | $61.74 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $127,159 | $61.13 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $120,673 | $58.02 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $120,123 | $57.75 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $120,036 | $57.71 |
| 15 | Hartford, CT | $116,645 | $56.08 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $115,708 | $55.63 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | $115,273 | $55.42 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $114,810 | $55.20 |
| 19 | Montgomery, AL | $109,972 | $52.87 |
| 20 | Raleigh, NC | $105,181 | $50.57 |
Chief of staff salary details
A chief of staff's salary ranges from $85,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $200,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chief of staff's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $200,000 | $16,667 | $96 |
| 75th Percentile | $163,000 | $13,583 | $78 |
| Average | $130,835 | $10,903 | $63 |
| 25th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
Highest paying chief of staff jobs
The highest paying types of chiefs of staff are president/chief executive officer, chief executive officer, and operations vice president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Director | $104,050 | $8,671 | $50.02 | 114,993 |
| Managing Director | $129,690 | $10,808 | $62.35 | 81,022 |
| Division Director | $120,757 | $10,063 | $58.06 | 63,545 |
| District Director | $100,695 | $8,391 | $48.41 | 57,276 |
| Operations Vice President | $163,076 | $13,590 | $78.40 | 147,465 |
| Deputy Director | $100,190 | $8,349 | $48.17 | 41,439 |
Top companies hiring chiefs of staff now:
Which companies pay chiefs of staff the most?
Chief of staff salaries at Lyft and PayPal are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief of staff salary at companies like Pure Storage and THINX are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lyft | $203,596 | $97.88 |
| 2 | PayPal | $202,321 | $97.27 |
| 3 | Pure Storage | $199,196 | $95.77 |
| 4 | THINX | $195,937 | $94.20 |
| 5 | Zoox | $194,166 | $93.35 |
| 6 | $191,043 | $91.85 | |
| 7 | eBay | $190,025 | $91.36 |
| 8 | Stitch Fix | $189,823 | $91.26 |
| 9 | OpenTable | $185,036 | $88.96 |
| 10 | VMware | $184,493 | $88.70 |
| 11 | Uber Technologies | $181,654 | $87.33 |
| 12 | Brex | $180,846 | $86.95 |
| 13 | Sprinklr | $175,508 | $84.38 |
| 14 | Juniper Networks | $174,941 | $84.11 |
| 15 | Pacific Gas and Electric | $174,108 | $83.71 |
| 16 | Amazon | $173,717 | $83.52 |
| 17 | National Council on Aging | $172,578 | $82.97 |
| 18 | Citi | $172,000 | $82.69 |
| 19 | Low Income Investment Fund | $171,856 | $82.62 |
| 20 | Scribd | $170,106 | $81.78 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chief of staff salary trends
The average chief of staff salary has risen by $13,397 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief of staff earned $117,438 annually, but today, they earn $130,835 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for chiefs of staff over the last decade.
Compare chief of staff salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chief of staff salary over time
Compare chief of staff salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chief of staff salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $131,000 | $62.90 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | $130,000 | $62.40 | -2.8% |
| 2023 | $133,000 | $64.14 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $129,000 | $61.99 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $127,000 | $61.30 | +3.4% |
Recently added chief of staff salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Chief of Staff/Operations Lead (Experienced or Senior) | Arlington, VA | 06/30/2025 | $107,950 |
| The University of Chicago | Chief of Staff, Education Lab | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $102,000 |
| Marsh McLennan Agency-Michigan | Oliver Wyman Actuarial-Chief of Staff (Remote) | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $125,000 |
| Capital One | Director, Chief of Staff-Enterprise Risk Management & Risk Management Risk Office | Richmond, VA | 06/28/2025 | $226,000 |
| International Data Corporation | Chief of Staff | Needham, MA | 06/28/2025 | $200,000 |
| Dcm Services LLC | Chief of Staff | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $140,000 |
| Savage X Fenty | Chief of Staff | El Segundo, CA | 06/28/2025 | $133,100 |
| Boeing | Chief of Staff/Operations Lead (Experienced or Senior) | Arlington, VA | 06/27/2025 | $107,950 |
| State of New York | Chief of Staff | Kings Park, NY | 06/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Insight Global | Technical Operations-Chief of Staff | Perrysburg, OH | 06/26/2025 | $128,400 |
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