The F Suite publishes comprehensive salary reports every year, including details of CFO compensation packages. To access the full reports, including a detailed breakdown by geographic region, company size, and stage, apply for membership today.
As a CFO, you spend your days uncovering and analyzing the financial figures that matter most to your business. But the numbers that often matter most to you personally — the salary, bonus, and equity packages your peers are taking home — are notoriously difficult to pin down, especially at high-growth tech companies.
That’s why The F Suite Team analyzes hundreds of CFO compensation packages each year: to provide our members comprehensive, real-time data that they can use to benchmark their salary compared to their peers and negotiate higher packages.
Below is an overview of our insights for 2024.
Key Takeaways
Reputable data can underpin salary negotiations, and members of The F Suite often use our CFO salary data to make a case for compensation increases.
Median base compensation is $345,000 in 2024, a 15% increase from $300,000 in 2023.
Median total compensation landed at $450,000 in 2024, a roughly 17.6% increase from $382,500 in 2023.
In 2024, CFOs in Los Angeles have the highest median base salary, and those based in New York City have the highest median total compensation. This is a shift from 2023, when San Francisco/Bay Area led in both categories.
Bonus amounts seem to be trending upward. In 2024, just over 84% report receiving an annual bonus with a median target of 35%, compared to 72% receiving bonuses with a typical range of 30-35% in 2023.
Notable perks trending up include rates of guaranteed severance, executive coaching budgets, formal remote work arrangements, and the ability to early exercise options.
Leverage CFO Salary Data for Stronger Negotiating Power
In an era when the CFO role continues to evolve and expand in scope, staying informed about salary trends is more crucial than ever. Whether you're entering a new role or reassessing your current position, data can be a catalyst for maximizing your compensation.
The F Suite's comprehensive reports and interactive tools provide CFOs with a decisive advantage in salary discussions. By harnessing our extensive database, members can pinpoint relevant benchmarks across multiple dimensions — from company scale and sector to location and professional background.
Get the full report and dashboard access by applying for membership to The F Suite today.
CFO Compensation
Our 2024 report assessed hundreds of survey responses from our members with CFO titles. Here's an overview of the data gleaned.
Base CFO Salary and Total Comp
Among respondents, annual CFO base salaries range from $300,000 (25th percentile) to $390,000 (75th percentile), with a median of $345,000. Total compensation for CFOs spans from $375,400 (25th percentile) to $530,063 (75th percentile) with a median of $450,000.
Median compensation rates fluctuate by region, company size/startup stage, and the CFO's level of experience, among other factors. Notably, 2024 saw a shift in regional salary advantages; while CFOs in Los Angeles report the highest base salaries in 2024, those in the San Francisco/Bay Area claimed the top spot the previous year. In terms of total compensation, New York City nabs the lead in 2024, with a median of $500,500, surpassing the San Francisco/Bay Area's top rank from 2023.
CFO Bonuses
Bonuses are a key component of CFO salaries. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents report they receive a signing bonus, and more than 84% of respondents receive an annual bonus. In 2024, the median signing bonus is $50,000, while the median annual bonus falls at around 35%.
CFO Equity
The 2024 data highlights the median equity percentage is 0.91% among tech CFOs.
The median equity value shows a clear upward trend across funding stages. (This makes sense, as the value of equity increases substantially as companies grow and raise more capital.)
Compared to 2023 data, respondents in 2024 report slightly lower equity percentages. However, the overall value of equity packages has generally increased, which may be a reflection of the growth and higher valuations of companies in the tech sector.
CFO Compensation at Venture Capital Firms
Financial executives working at venture capital firms face unique compensation considerations like carry allocations and fund performance-based bonuses. Our 2024 FundCFO report compiled data from CFOs at top VC firms to provide insights into their compensation structures.
FundCFO Base Salary and Total Comp
CFOs at funds are typically compensated higher than their counterparts at operating companies; their median base salary lands at $360,000 and median total comp is $423,400. The compensation varies significantly based on fund size and type, with those at larger funds and PE firms generally earning more.
FundCFO Bonuses
Almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents report receiving an annual bonus, with the median target bonus being 25% of base salary. The bonus range typically falls between 20% (25th percentile) and 50% (75th percentile) of base salary.
CFO Fund Carry
Almost all respondents' core funds (98%) pay carry, and around 88% of individual CFOs receive a carry allocation.
The median carry allocation is 2.5%, but this percentage tends to decrease as fund size increases.
The median expected dollar value of carry (Dollars at Work) is $1,290,000, with significant variation based on fund size and type.
CFO Benefits Trends
The majority of CFOs at tech companies receive comprehensive benefits packages. Noteworthy perks trending up this year include guaranteed severance, executive coaching budgets, formal remote work arrangements, and the ability to early exercise options. Additionally, many CFOs report having access to personal professional development budgets and the opportunity to co-invest in their funds.
Get the Full Report and Interactive CFO Compensation Dashboard
Having comprehensive compensation insights on hand enables CFOs to make strategic career decisions and advocate for competitive packages. F Suite members gain exclusive access to our in-depth reports, which include:
Expected bonus compensation by stage of company and percentage of base salary
Salary data in top metro areas, including New York, San Francisco, and Boston
Compensation breakdowns by years of experience, job title, industry, number of employees, funds raised, company stage, and more
Equity compensation percentages and equity valuation by stage of company
Data on benefits packages
Get the full report and dashboard access by applying for membership to The F Suite community today.
About The F Suite
The F Suite is an invitation-only executive peer community where leading CFOs turn to make better, faster decisions that propel their companies forward. Member CFOs build their Braintrust with peers from high-growth companies and investment funds including Lyft, Bumble, Circle, Nextdoor, Via, Riskified, Fireblocks, Anthropic, Midjourney, Contenful, OnlyFans, Vista Equity Partners, Polaris Partners, Upfront Ventures, Felicis Ventures, and First Round Capital. F Suite members benefit from access to a custom-built, proprietary platform for curated connections and conversations with hundreds of CFOs on trending topics; an extensive library of hyper-relevant data and timely insights from CFO peers; a members-only vendor database to find the right solution the first time; and exclusive local, national, and virtual events that bring member CFOs together with their trusted inner circle.