As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Chief of Staff in the United States is $280,766. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $227,281 to $346,327, with most professionals earning between $178,585 and $406,018.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $346,327 | $28,861 | $6,660 | $167 |
| Average | $280,766 | $23,397 | $5,399 | $135 |
| 25th Percentile | $227,281 | $18,940 | $4,371 | $109 |
An entry-level Chief of Staff with less than 1 year of experience earns about $240,701. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $245,586. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $249,656. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $256,168, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $264,309.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Chief of Staff | $240,701 |
| Intermediate Level Chief of Staff | $245,586 |
| Senior Level Chief of Staff | $249,656 |
| Specialist Level Chief of Staff | $256,168 |
| Expert Level Chief of Staff | $264,309 |
| Entry Level | 14% |
| Mid Level | 13% |
| Senior Level | 11% |
| Top Level | 9% |
| Experienced | 6% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Chief of Staff compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $202,696 in 2023 to approximately $204,427 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Chief of Staff salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
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Here are companies hiring for Chief of Staff and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $280,766 | 63.9% | ||
| Bonus | $61,619 | 14.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $15,418 | 3.5% | ||
| 401K/403B | $10,500 | 2.4% | ||
| Disability | $6,848 | 1.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 1.9% | ||
| Pension | $13,500 | 3.1% | ||
| Time Off | $42,140 | 9.6% | ||
| Total Compensation | $439,142 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.9% |
| High School | 7.3% |
| Associates | 4.7% |
| Bachelors | 40.1% |
| Masters | 40.5% |
| Doctorate | 6.5% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Chief of Staff is $280,766. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Chief of Staff is $135; the average weekly pay of Chief of Staff is $5,399; the average monthly pay of Chief of Staff is $23,397.
A Chief of Staff's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Chief of Staff earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Chief of Staff is $352,361.
The highest pay for Chief of Staff is $406,018.
The lowest pay for Chief of Staff is $178,585.
Chief of Staff plans and directs all administrative, financial, and operational activities for the organization's President, CEO, or other executive. Organizes and prioritizes critical issues and required information for the executive to facilitate efficient decision making. Being a Chief of Staff acts as a point of contact or gatekeeper between top management and other stakeholders. Provides oversight and guidance to projects of high importance. Additionally, Chief of Staff may act as an advisor to the chief executive. May be responsible for the management of executive support staff. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Chief of Staff manages a business unit, division, or corporate function with major organizational impact. Establishes/implements overall direction and strategic initiatives for the given major function or line of business. To be a Chief of Staff typically requires 10+ years of progressive leadership experience. Has extensive knowledge of the overall departmental function.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Business Operations: The outcome of business operations is the harvesting of value from assets owned by a business. Assets can be either physical or intangible. An example of value derived from a physical asset, like a building, is rent. An example of value derived from an intangible asset, like an idea, is a royalty. The effort involved in "harvesting" this value is what constitutes business operations cycles.
Internal Communications: Internal communications (IC) is the function responsible for effective communications among participants within an organization. The scope of the function varies by organization and practitioner, from producing and delivering messages and campaigns on behalf of management, to facilitating two-way dialogue and developing the communication skills of the organization's participants. Modern understanding of internal communications is a field of its own and draws on the theory and practice of related professions, not least journalism, knowledge management, public relations (e.g., media relations), marketing and human resources, as well as wider organizational studies, communication theory, social psychology, sociology and political science.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
