What’s the Average Salary of a Chief Financial Officer CFO?

While I watched this every day in the way my parents treated people, I also saw it in how my father pulled the steel mill out of the red. I jumped at the opportunity, and while I initially was encouraged to take the operations manager job with the new company, as we started working with VCs to get funding, I ended up taking the CFO role. The value of these benefits and perks for the average CFO is about 19% of total compensation.

The CFO is generally responsible for all budgeting, financial goal setting, and related financial reporting—including financial statement construction and review. Arguably, there has always been a need for CFOs, however, the position only came about in the 1960s. This comes as companies’ finances, accounting, and bookkeeping have become more complicated. At the top of the proverbial food chain, in the corporate world, is the chief executive officer (CEO). Over the years, the job has evolved, with an Accenture survey in 2022 revealing that 93% of CFOs agree that the responsibilities they’re now entrusted with feel much greater than in the past. CFOs are now expected to be commercially minded strategic thinkers who can react to changes and influence decision-making across the organization.

What Is A Chief Financial Officer? CFO Role Explained

My dad walked the factory floor every day meeting with people, talking to them, getting to know their lives and jobs. Both operational cfo full form salary and strategic CFOs understand financial functions within a company. Strategic CFOs analyze financial processes and practices in a business to identify plans for the future. An operational CFO who looks at the past and present, to eliminate spending and inefficiencies.

Key Hard Skills for Chief Financial Officers

The exact figures can vary widely, reflecting the CFO salary by company revenue. For top-level CFO positions, a decade or more of relevant work experience is frequently required. In contrast, smaller companies may offer lower salaries due to budget constraints and a more limited scope of responsibilities for the CFO. Meanwhile, a CFO focuses on the company’s financial future, creating forecasts. The CFO also works with other senior managers and is a vital participant in a company’s overall success, especially when it comes to the long run. For instance, when the marketing department wants to launch a new campaign, the CFO may help to ensure the campaign is feasible or give input on the funds available for the campaign.

The average total cash compensation for CFOs comprises base salary, yearly bonus, and other cash incentives included in their remuneration package. Additionally, their median total compensation package, which includes bonuses and benefits, amounts to $506,386. Bonus structures for CFOs vary but generally have an average bonus potential of 30-60% of the base salary, with the potential for higher payouts in larger organizations. These bonuses are typically based on performance metrics of both the employee and the company, linking the size of the bonus directly to the company’s financial performance. The base salary is influenced by factors such as company size, industry, and geographical location, with public companies typically offering higher base salaries to CFOs than private companies.

What Is The Future Of Chief Financial Officer Roles?

This reduction in bonuses may reflect a shift towards more long-term incentive plans. The structure of these bonuses can vary widely from one organization to another. Bonuses are a common form of additional compensation for CFOs, usually tied to individual and company performance metrics. They may face challenges such as managing a global finance team and navigating complex regulatory environments.

Typically, a company would not hire a CFO until they reach an annual revenue of $50 million. If you plan to hire in-house, consider bringing a controller on board first if your revenue is between $1 million and $10 million. The average salary of a CFO as of Jan. 2024 is roughly $437,711 a year, according to Salary.com. The CFO reports to the CEO but remains one of the key personnel in any company. In the financial industry, it is a high-ranking position, and in other industries, it is usually the third-highest position in a company.

Consider consulting with a career coach or compensation specialist who can provide personalized advice and negotiation strategies. Prepare a list of your accomplishments, such as successful financial strategies you implemented or how you improved the company’s bottom line. The median total reported compensation for CFOs remained stable at $4.7 million across 2021 and 2022. The grant date fair value of equity awards increased by 17%, on average, for CFOs.

1. This can include bonuses and stock options, aligning the CFO’s interests with those of the shareholders.
2. Once upon a time, the position of chief financial officer was focused exclusively on finance and accounting functions.
3. Apple (AAPL) CFO Luca Maestri earns an annual salary of $1 million according to executive compensation tables in the company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
4. Meanwhile, a CFO focuses on the company’s financial future, creating forecasts.
5. Despite some positive trends towards pay equity, the gender pay gap in CFO salaries remains an issue that requires further attention and action.

At the lower end of the scale are retail, education and non-profits, where median pay is $270,000, $225,000 and $210,000 respectively. Not surprisingly, larger firms pay more, with salaries at large corporations topping $500,000, compared with less than $150,000 at small businesses. Our findings reveal a clear correlation between company size and CFO remuneration, with larger companies typically offering higher salaries to reflect the increased complexity and responsibility of the role.