Q: How many years does it take to become a chief operating officer?

It takes 10 to 15 years to be a chief operating officer. That is 10 to 15 years of experience working in a specific industry. In addition, they will need to have at least a four-year degree. That's a total of 14 to 19 of education and work experience needed to become a chief operating officer (COO).

Q: How much do COOs get paid?

COOs get paid around $177,066 a year. The range in what a COO can make starts from $44,000 a year to as high as $320,000 a year. Factors such as location and company can impact how much a COO earns.

Q: Is a COO higher than a CFO?

Yes, a COO is higher than a CFO. Both the chief operating officer (COO) and the chief financial officer (CFO) report directly to the chief executive officer (CEO). However, COO is usually considered the second-highest C-suite executive rank after the CEO (i.e., CEO < COO < CFO)

Q: What is the COO hierarchy?

The COO, or Chief Operating Officer, hierarchy is the structure of an organization's operating department. The hierarchy of an operating department sees a COO at the top, meaning they are the main professional in charge of that department. COOs tend to be second in authority to CEOs at companies that have this structure.

Q: What skills should a COO have?

The skills that a COO should have are a combination of business acumen, leadership skills, and dedication to your industry. Networking -- Your ability to rise to the C-level broadly hinges on who you know. That's especially true with positions like the COO, where you'll be chosen based on how well your personality and specific skills complement the CEO.

Q: Who works under a chief operating officer?

Those who work under a chief operating officer include everyone at the company except the CEO and board of directors. A chief operating officer (COO) is considered the second-highest C-suite executive rank after the CEO. As such, everyone other than the CEO reports to the COO eventually, as ideas and plans move up the ladder.

Q: What is a good starting salary for a Chief Operating Officer?

A good starting salary for a chief operating officer is $104,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a chief operating officer in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for chief operating officers is $175,471, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a chief operating officer can vary by state.

Q: Can a chief operating officer make 100k?

Yes, you can make $100,000 per year as a chief operating officer. The chances of earning over $100k for a chief operating officer are actually pretty good because the highest-paid chief operating officer positions typically pay at least $293,000 per year. The average annual salary is $175,471 for chief operating officer jobs. For example, chief operating officers in New Jersey whose salaries are in the 90th percentile earn an average salary of $277,000.

Question 1

Chief Administrative Officer vs. COO

Accepted Answer

A chief administrative officer is an executive who oversees an organization's day-to-day operations, while a COO manages manufacturing, production sales, and personnel within the organization.

Question 2

How long does it take to become a Chief Operating Officer?

Accepted Answer

It takes 11 years of professional experience to become a chief operating officer. That is the time it takes to learn specific chief operating officer skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 14 to 16 years years to become a chief operating officer.

Question 3

How many years does it take to become a chief operating officer?

Accepted Answer

It takes 10 to 15 years to be a chief operating officer. That is 10 to 15 years of experience working in a specific industry. In addition, they will need to have at least a four-year degree. That's a total of 14 to 19 of education and work experience needed to become a chief operating officer (COO).

Question 4

How much do COOs get paid?

Accepted Answer

COOs get paid around $177,066 a year. The range in what a COO can make starts from $44,000 a year to as high as $320,000 a year. Factors such as location and company can impact how much a COO earns.

Question 5

Is a COO higher than a CFO?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a COO is higher than a CFO. Both the chief operating officer (COO) and the chief financial officer (CFO) report directly to the chief executive officer (CEO). However, COO is usually considered the second-highest C-suite executive rank after the CEO (i.e., CEO < COO < CFO)

Question 6

What is the COO hierarchy?

Accepted Answer

The COO, or Chief Operating Officer, hierarchy is the structure of an organization's operating department. The hierarchy of an operating department sees a COO at the top, meaning they are the main professional in charge of that department. COOs tend to be second in authority to CEOs at companies that have this structure.

Question 7

What skills should a COO have?

Accepted Answer

The skills that a COO should have are a combination of business acumen, leadership skills, and dedication to your industry.

Networking -- Your ability to rise to the C-level broadly hinges on who you know. That's especially true with positions like the COO, where you'll be chosen based on how well your personality and specific skills complement the CEO.

Question 8

Who works under a chief operating officer?

Accepted Answer

Those who work under a chief operating officer include everyone at the company except the CEO and board of directors. A chief operating officer (COO) is considered the second-highest C-suite executive rank after the CEO. As such, everyone other than the CEO reports to the COO eventually, as ideas and plans move up the ladder.

Question 9

What is a good starting salary for a Chief Operating Officer?

Accepted Answer

A good starting salary for a chief operating officer is $104,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a chief operating officer in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for chief operating officers is $175,471, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a chief operating officer can vary by state.

Question 10

Can a chief operating officer make 100k?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can make $100,000 per year as a chief operating officer. The chances of earning over $100k for a chief operating officer are actually pretty good because the highest-paid chief operating officer positions typically pay at least $293,000 per year. The average annual salary is $175,471 for chief operating officer jobs. For example, chief operating officers in New Jersey whose salaries are in the 90th percentile earn an average salary of $277,000.

Question 11

Is a chief operating officer higher than a CEO?

Accepted Answer

No, a chief operating officer is not higher than a CEO. A chief executive officer (CEO) is the top manager and is responsible for the corporation's entire operations and reports directly to the chair and the board of directors.

Question 12

What are the duties of a chief operating officer?

Accepted Answer

The chief operating officer's main duty is to oversee business operations. This may include marketing and sales, human resources, research and development, production, and other functions.

Question 13

What education does a COO need?

Accepted Answer

The education needed for a COO is at minimum a bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field. Landing a COO position can be difficult. Many candidates seek out additional credentials such as MBAs and certifications.

Question 14

What is the difference between a CEO and a COO?

Accepted Answer

The difference between a CEO and a COO is that CEO is the highest-level C-suite role in a company, followed by the COO. The chief executive officer (CEO) bears responsibility for the success or failure of their companies.

Question 15

What percentage of Chief Operating Officers are female?

Accepted Answer

24.1% of chief operating officers are female in the United States. This is 2.2 percentage points higher than last year. Additionally, the percentage of female chief operating officers has increased by 5.1 percentage points since 2010. That means there are a total of 16,597 female chief operating officers in the U.S. and 52,271 male chief operating officers in the United States. Note that Zippia's estimate accounts only for the 68,868 people with the specific job title of chief operating officer and doesn't include grouping similar job titles, or people with potentially similar credentialing.

Question 16

COO vs. CEO

Accepted Answer

The COO, or Chief Operations Officer, is the second in command at a company or corporation, while a CEO, or Chief Executive Officer, is the first in command at a company or corporation.

The COO of a company or corporation is considered the CEO's right-hand man or woman. COOs take the CEO's vision for the company and turn it into an executable business plan, overseeing all operations and ensuring teams work toward the company's goals. COOs are responsible for daily operations and how a company functions.

Question 17

What does a COO do on a daily basis?

Accepted Answer

A COO engages in strategic planning and key decision-making, conducts operational oversight and resource management, and provides leadership and team management to staff on a daily basis. Here are some details on the common daily activities of a chief operations officer (COO):

Question 18

What is a private company?

Accepted Answer

A private company is a firm that is held under private ownership. They may issue stock and have shareholders, but their shares are not traded on public exchanges and are not issued through an initial public offering (IPO).

Frequently asked questions about chief operating officers

Questions about becoming a chief operating officer