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Chief of operations salary
Average chief of operations salary
$124,927
Average Chief of Operations Salary
The Chief of Operations plays a crucial role in guiding a company's operational strategies. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $124,927 annually. Compensation may differ significantly based on factors like experience level, geographic location, and industry sector.
Salary Variations by State
For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled operations leaders. In contrast, regions with lower living costs may present more modest compensation.
Highest Paying Cities
Additionally, cities such as San Francisco and New York City are known for their competitive pay for Chief of Operations roles. Understanding these salary dynamics can assist individuals in making informed career decisions, aligning their career paths with lucrative opportunities.
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Where can a Chief Of Operations earn more?
Average chief of operations salary by state
The average chief of operations salary in Delaware, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average chief of operations salary states are Oklahoma, Missouri, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chiefs of operations
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $159,024 | $76.45 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $144,221 | $69.34 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $137,949 | $66.32 |
| 4 | Washington | $138,624 | $66.65 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $141,122 | $67.85 |
| 6 | Delaware | $148,405 | $71.35 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $132,650 | $63.77 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $129,686 | $62.35 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $126,822 | $60.97 |
| 10 | Nevada | $126,038 | $60.60 |
| 11 | Texas | $118,216 | $56.83 |
| 12 | Illinois | $122,752 | $59.02 |
| 13 | Maine | $121,431 | $58.38 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $134,243 | $64.54 |
| 15 | California | $136,492 | $65.62 |
| 16 | New York | $134,362 | $64.60 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $131,935 | $63.43 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $117,773 | $56.62 |
| 19 | Michigan | $122,092 | $58.70 |
| 20 | Alaska | $120,822 | $58.09 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $129,720 | $62.37 |
| 22 | Virginia | $128,232 | $61.65 |
| 23 | Colorado | $126,603 | $60.87 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $127,459 | $61.28 |
| 25 | Montana | $104,507 | $50.24 |
| 26 | Alabama | $108,897 | $52.35 |
| 27 | Iowa | $108,572 | $52.20 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $101,465 | $48.78 |
| 29 | Vermont | $94,664 | $45.51 |
| 30 | Idaho | $97,931 | $47.08 |
| 31 | Arizona | $110,532 | $53.14 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $107,247 | $51.56 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $101,320 | $48.71 |
| 34 | Georgia | $97,208 | $46.73 |
| 35 | Ohio | $95,720 | $46.02 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $87,927 | $42.27 |
| 37 | Indiana | $94,644 | $45.50 |
| 38 | Oregon | $90,213 | $43.37 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $97,198 | $46.73 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $90,246 | $43.39 |
| 41 | Kansas | $95,560 | $45.94 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $94,441 | $45.40 |
| 43 | Maryland | $104,929 | $50.45 |
| 44 | Utah | $83,634 | $40.21 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $92,151 | $44.30 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $62,433 | $30.02 |
| 47 | Florida | $71,986 | $34.61 |
| 48 | Missouri | $83,679 | $40.23 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $84,700 | $40.72 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $86,592 | $41.63 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $82,919 | $39.86 |
Highest paying cities for chiefs of operations
The highest-paying cities for chiefs of operations are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $160,512 | $77.17 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $145,063 | $69.74 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $141,484 | $68.02 |
| 4 | Bellingham, WA | $139,974 | $67.30 |
| 5 | Albany, NY | $135,451 | $65.12 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $133,075 | $63.98 |
| 7 | Wallingford, CT | $132,243 | $63.58 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $130,952 | $62.96 |
| 9 | New Bedford, MA | $130,058 | $62.53 |
| 10 | Sayreville, NJ | $127,409 | $61.25 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $126,709 | $60.92 |
| 12 | Charlotte, NC | $125,442 | $60.31 |
| 13 | Arlington, TX | $124,325 | $59.77 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $123,077 | $59.17 |
| 15 | Chandler, AZ | $110,610 | $53.18 |
| 16 | West Des Moines, IA | $107,586 | $51.72 |
| 17 | Baltimore, MD | $105,167 | $50.56 |
| 18 | Wichita, KS | $95,079 | $45.71 |
| 19 | Enid, OK | $85,099 | $40.91 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $84,368 | $40.56 |
Chief of operations salary details
A chief of operations's salary ranges from $86,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $181,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chief of operations's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $181,000 | $15,083 | $87 |
| 75th Percentile | $151,000 | $12,583 | $73 |
| Average | $124,927 | $10,411 | $60 |
| 25th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 10th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
Highest paying chief of operations jobs
The highest paying types of chiefs of operations are senior vice president-operations, operations vice president, and executive director of operations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Support Manager | $79,730 | $6,644 | $38.33 | 376,894 |
| Operations Superintendent | $104,699 | $8,725 | $50.34 | 89,991 |
| Operations Vice President | $163,076 | $13,590 | $78.40 | 147,465 |
| Administrative Operations Manager | $58,648 | $4,887 | $28.20 | 325,720 |
| Operations Director | $104,050 | $8,671 | $50.02 | 114,993 |
| Operations Officer | $46,813 | $3,901 | $22.51 | 133,025 |
Top companies hiring chiefs of operations now:
Which companies pay chiefs of operations the most?
Chief of operations salaries at University of Maryland, Baltimore and Abt Associates are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief of operations salary at companies like Citi and New York City Independent Budget Office are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $146,104 | $70.24 |
| 2 | Abt Associates | $140,861 | $67.72 |
| 3 | Citi | $135,132 | $64.97 |
| 4 | New York City Independent Budget Office | $131,092 | $63.02 |
| 5 | Creative Solutions Services | $128,928 | $61.98 |
| 6 | Morgan Stanley | $127,793 | $61.44 |
| 7 | Midrex Technologies | $127,000 | $61.06 |
| 8 | EMCOR Group | $126,216 | $60.68 |
| 9 | OBee Credit Union | $124,988 | $60.09 |
| 10 | Criterion Systems | $124,541 | $59.88 |
| 11 | Veolia Water Tech | $122,621 | $58.95 |
| 12 | Douglas Emmett, Inc. | $122,136 | $58.72 |
| 13 | CB Richard Ellis Memphis LLC | $121,953 | $58.63 |
| 14 | SEIU Local 521 | $121,953 | $58.63 |
| 15 | California State Association of Counties | $121,716 | $58.52 |
| 16 | Viasat | $121,586 | $58.45 |
| 17 | DC International School | $118,519 | $56.98 |
| 18 | Aquarion Water | $118,351 | $56.90 |
| 19 | Mta | $117,240 | $56.37 |
| 20 | My Florida Regional Mls | $117,042 | $56.27 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chief of operations salary trends
The average chief of operations salary has risen by $10,245 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief of operations earned $114,682 annually, but today, they earn $124,927 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for chiefs of operations over the last decade.
Compare chief of operations salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chief of operations salary over time
Compare chief of operations salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chief of operations salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $125,000 | $60.06 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $121,000 | $58.40 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | $122,000 | $58.48 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $121,000 | $58.18 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $120,000 | $57.55 | +1.6% |
Recently added chief of operations salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massanf | Chief of Finance and Operations | Boston, MA | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Polk County | Parks Chief Operator-Parks and Natural Resources | Bartow, FL | 06/23/2025 | $52,832 |
| State of Florida | Chief of General Operations | Tallahassee, FL | 06/21/2025 | $105,000 |
| DHRM | Chief Ranger Maintenance & Operations-Holliday Lake State Park | Enon, VA | 06/21/2025 | $44,000 |
| State Ethics Commission | Chief of Finance and Operations | Boston, MA | 06/20/2025 | $85,000 |
| State of Virginia | Chief Ranger Maintenance & Operations-Holliday Lake State Park | Appomattox, VA | 06/19/2025 | $44,000 |
| State of Massachusetts | Chief of Finance and Operations | Boston, MA | 06/18/2025 | $85,000 |
| Thomas j Henry Law | Chief Legal Operations Liason | San Antonio, TX | 06/16/2025 | $150,000 |
| Extensishr | Deputy Chief of Workforce Operations | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $100,000 |
| Woodard & Curran, Inc. | Chief Wastewater Operator | Bradenton, FL | 06/11/2025 | $79,306 |
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