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CFO Salary and Equity in United States 2026

How much does a CFO expect to make at United States-based startups? The average expected salary for CFOs in United States-based startups is 159k per year, with a range from 101k to 299k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for CFOs in United States startups varies depending on factors such as industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.

159.0k

Average Salary

6 years

Average years of experience

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Salary

By quarter
The average salary for a CFO in United States is $159,006, which is 18.7% higher than the average United States startup salary of$134,000. CFO salaries in United States are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.

Top of market

$215,339/yr

Range $150k - $299k

Average

$159,006/yr

Range $115k - $234k

Below Average

$137,667/yr

Range $101k - $203k


Industries

The highest average salary a CFO in United States can get in Social Media Platforms, that is $210,000. This pay is 14.2% higher than the average CFO salary in United States, which is $183,900. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Social Media Platforms (avg $210,000 per year), Public Relations (avg $210,000 per year), Government Innovation (avg $210,000 per year).

Years of experience

Below Average

Average

Top of Market

The highest average salary a CFO in United States can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $202,500. This pay is 51.1% higher than the average salary in United States startups, which is $134,000. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.