upper level job

How much does a Chief of Staff make?

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.

Chief of Staff Salaries by Percentile
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

Average Salary

25% $227,281 10% $178,585 90% $406,018 75% $346,327 $280,766 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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How much does a Chief of Staff make by hour, week, month, and year?

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Chief of Staff salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about Chief of Staff hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

How Does Experience Level Affect a Chief of Staff's Salary?

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
$240,701 0 yr
$245,586 < 2 yrs
$249,656 2-4 yrs
$256,168 5-8 yrs
$264,309 > 8 yrs
Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Entry Level 14%
Mid Level 13%
Senior Level 11%
Top Level 9%
Experienced 6%
View as graph
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

How much does salary of Chief of Staff vary from city to city?

Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.

For example, as of March 01, 2025:
  • In San Francisco, CA, the average yearly salary for a Chief of Staff is $350,957.
  • In New York, NY, the average annual salary is $327,935.
  • In Boston, MA, a Chief of Staff earns $314,739 per year.

What is the salary trend of Chief of Staff?

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.

Average Annual Salary of Chief of Staff Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
$202,696
2023
$204,427
2024
$201,977
2025
2026
$???
Last Updated on March 01, 2025
2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$202,696
2024
$204,427
2025
$201,977
2026
$???
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

Chief of Staff Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 View More
2021 View More
2022 View More
2023 $202,696
2024 $204,427
2025 $201,977
2026 View More
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

Job Openings of Chief of Staff

Salary.com job board provides millions of Chief of Staff information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Chief of Staff job openings or enter a new job title here.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Base Salary 63.9%
Bonuses 14.0%
Social Security 3.5%
401k/403b 2.4%
Disability 1.6%
Healthcare 1.9%
Pension 3.1%
Time Off 9.6%
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%
Core Compensation is based on averages for this job and does not reflect personal factors used to determine your projected salary range.
Value of Benefits indicates the employer's expected contribution and paid time off.
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

What are the salaries of a Chief of Staff with different levels of education?

Salaries for Chief of Staff with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

According to our 100% employer reported salary sources the median salary for a Chief of Staff with a Bachelor's Degree is $252,098 - $283,212. Please try our salary wizard to explore how other factors like location, Years of experience and number of direct reports can impact your base pay and bonus.

Chief of Staff Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Typical Education for Chief of Staff
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%
Typical Education for Chief of Staff
No Diploma 0.9%
High School 7.3%
Associates 4.7%
Bachelors 40.1%
Masters 40.5%
Doctorate 6.5%
view as table

Chief of Staff Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on March 01, 2025

What Am I Worth?

FAQ about Chief of Staff

1. What is the average salary of a Chief of Staff?

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.

2. Where can a Chief of Staff earn the most?

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.

3. What is the highest pay for Chief of Staff?

The highest pay for Chief of Staff is $406,018.

4. What is the lowest pay for Chief of Staff?

The lowest pay for Chief of Staff is $178,585.

5. What are the responsibilities of Chief of Staff?

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.

6. What are the skills of Chief of Staff

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.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

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.

3.)

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.

About Our Data

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.

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The average salary for a Chief of Staff is $280,766 per year in the United States, updated at March 01, 2025.
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