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CFO Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do CFOs expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for CFOs in a startup is 181k per year, with a range from 50k to 358k. The salary range for CFOs varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
181.4k
Average Salary
6 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average CFO salary is $181,375, which is 40.6% higher than the average startup salary of $129,000. CFO salaries are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: location, years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$290,667/yr
Range $225k - $358k
Average
$181,375/yr
Range $115k - $260k
Below Average
$128,500/yr
Range $50k - $173k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CFO can get in Santa Monica, that is $390,000. This pay is 115.0% higher than the average CFO salary in startups, which is $181,375. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Santa Monica (avg $390,000 per year), Denver (avg $215,000 per year), Seattle (avg $214,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Santa Monica
$390k
Denver
$215k
Seattle
$214k
Austin
$207.5k
Boston
$202.5k
Chicago
$200k
San Diego
View SalariesVancouver
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View SalariesNew York
View SalariesToronto
View SalariesMinneapolis
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a CFO can get in Residential Real Estate, that is $390,000. This pay is 18.5% higher than the average CFO salary, which is $329,050. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Residential Real Estate (avg $390,000 per year), Real Estate Investors (avg $390,000 per year), Luxury (avg $390,000 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a CFO can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $165,000. This pay is 9.0% lower than the average CFO salary, which is $181,375. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.
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