What is the average salary for a chief of staff? And how does it vary between regions and industries? Read on to find out more.
The average salary for a chief of staff is $150,000.
Average salary for chief of staff
The chief of staff is a critical position that can greatly impact the effectiveness of an organization. The salary for this important role will depend on a variety of factors, including industry and location. Keep reading to learn more about what you can expect to earn as a chief of staff.
United States
Chief of staff salaries vary by location. According to PayScale, the average chief of staff salary in the United States is $99,000. The following table shows the average salaries for chiefs of staff around the country, as well as some other regions:
- California: $105,000
- New York: $120,000
- Texas: $80,000
- Florida: $77,500
Industry
If you work as a chief of staff in the government and public sector, your salary will be $135,000. If you work in nonprofit and charity organizations, your annual salary will be $138,000. In the hospitality and tourism industry, chief of staffs earn an average salary of $130,000 per year.
Chiefs of staff working in retail and consumer goods companies make an average yearly income of about $160,000 each year; those working for transportation companies earn about $147,000 annually; chiefs at manufacturing firms typically have an annual income of about $140,000; financial services chiefs pull down a yearly paycheck averaging around $150,000; IT execs with similar titles make about $151,500 per year on average; and finally business services officers make approximately 150K per annum on average
Years of experience
The final factor that drives salary is years of experience. The more experience you have, the higher your base salary will be. This is in part due to seniority and expertise, but also because more senior positions are more likely to come with a compensation package (i.e., bonus or equity).
- Age: A young person fresh out of college may not make as much as a seasoned professional who has been working in the industry for ten or fifteen years.
- Number of years in the industry: You might expect someone with twenty years under their belt to make significantly more than someone who’s just starting out.
- Number of years in role: A person who has held several different positions at one company over the course of their career may get paid less than an executive with only two or three previous jobs under their belt, even if they’re both at similar levels within their organizations.
Education level
The education level of chief of staffs varies, with high school and bachelor’s degrees being the most common. However, most chief of staffs have earned a master’s degree or doctorate degree. The higher your education level, the more likely you are to earn a higher income as a chief of staff.
- As your education level increases, so does your salary potential: chief of staff salaries increase as you gain more specialized skills and experience.
There are many factors that go into a salary for a chief of staff.
The role of the chief of staff is to support the organization’s CEO and other top executives. Chief of staffs typically lead their own teams and manage resources such as IT systems, human resources, accounts payable and receivable, facilities management and human capital management.
They may also supervise administrative assistants or assistants to executives with specialized skills in certain areas such as financial planning or budget analysis. The chief of staff reports directly to an executive vice president or president but may have regular interaction with other senior managers at headquarters or in satellite offices across the country or around the world.
Other titles for this position include chief operating officer (COO), senior vice president (SVP) and executive vice president (EVP). Chief executive officers (CEOs) often choose one person from among their direct reports—usually a VP level manager—to serve as chief of staff so they can delegate important projects while being able to rely on that person’s guidance when needed. In many cases, CEOs will hire someone with experience doing similar work at another company if they don’t feel comfortable creating the position themselves; however some companies prefer hiring junior-level employees who need additional training but are willing learn quickly on-the-job rather than bringing someone else onboard who might not fit well within their existing organizational structure.”
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand some of the factors that influence a salary for a chief of staff. It’s important to note that these averages are national, and your actual wage may vary based on location, experience level and other factors. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can increase your earning potential as a chief of staff, sign up for our newsletter or reach out to us at info@ziprecruiter.com!
