Operations Chief Salary in the United States

How much does an Operations Chief make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Operations Chief in the United States is $100,185 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $48.

However, an Operations Chief's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $123,989
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $91,197 to $112,645
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $83,013
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View as table View as graph 25% $91,197 10% $83,013 90% $123,989 75% $112,645 $100,185 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Operations Chief Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $112,645 $9,387 $2,166 $54
Average $100,185 $8,349 $1,927 $48
25th Percentile $91,197 $7,600 $1,754 $44
Check out Operations Chief Job Openings in the United States
Chief of Staff Strategy and Operations

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Chief of Staff Business Operations

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Chief of Staff Business Operations

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Chief Finance&Internal Operations Officer

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Search More Operations Chief Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Operations Chief Salaries

An Operations Chief's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Operations Chief Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Operations Chief's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $95,960
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $96,357
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,680
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $99,268
  • Expert (over 8 years): $102,383
Levels Salary
Entry Level Operations Chief$95,960
Intermediate Level Operations Chief$96,357
Senior Level Operations Chief$97,680
Specialist Level Operations Chief$99,268
Expert Level Operations Chief$102,383
$95,960 0 yr
$96,357 < 2 yrs
$97,680 2-4 yrs
$99,268 5-8 yrs
$102,383 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Operations Chief Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Operations Chieves. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $110,925.
  • California: $110,504.
  • Massachusetts: $109,031.

Top Paying Cities for Operations Chieves

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $126,363
  • San Francisco: $124,980
  • Oakland: $122,346

What Skills Can Increase an Operations Chief's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 7.72% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 2.44% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • Purchasing (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings): Purchasing refers to a business or organization attempting to acquire goods or services to accomplish its goals. Although there are several organizations that attempt to set standards in the purchasing process, processes can vary greatly between organizations. Typically the word “purchasing” is not used interchangeably with the word “procurement”, since procurement typically includes expediting, supplier quality, and transportation and logistics (T&L) in addition to purchasing.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 7.72%
Continuous Improvement 2.44%
Purchasing 1.54%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Operations Chief's salary.
  • Budgeting: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
  • Warehouse Management System: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Budgeting
$123,228
23%
Warehouse Management System
$121,224
21%
Collaboration
$121,224
21%
Commitment
$121,224
21%
Performance Review
$120,222
20%
Innovation
$120,222
20%
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Operations Chief Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Operations Chief roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Operations Chief positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Operations Chief as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Operations Chief

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$110,204$53.010%
Biotechnology$110,204$53.010%
Energy & Utilities$110,204$53.010%
Financial Services$110,204$53.010%
Healthcare$110,204$53.010%

Operations Chief Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Operations Chief's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Operations Chief

Salaries for an Operations Chief can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $102,522 in 2023 to around $103,104 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Operations Chief salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Operations Chief Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$102,522
2024
$103,539
2025
$103,104
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $102,522
2024 $103,539
2025 $103,104
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Operations Chief

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Operations Chief

Here are companies hiring for Operations Chief and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Operations Chief Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Operations Chief job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Chief Finance & Internal Operations Officer. About the Company. Nonprofit organization shaping inclusive education for all. Industry. Research. Type. Priva... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Chief of Staff, Operations, Marketing, Advertising & eCommerce. About the Company. High-growth DTC digital marketplace scaling toward $500MM+ revenue. Indu... more

    1 Month Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Chief of Staff, Operations, Marketing, Advertising & eCommerce. About the Company. High-growth DTC digital marketplace scaling toward $500MM+ revenue. Indu... more

    4 Days Ago

  • MD Staff, LLC

    Columbus, OH

    MD Staff, LLC | Columbus, OH

    Emergency Medicine Physician Needed near Columbus, Ohio. An excellent opportunity for a full-time EM Physician to join an Emergency Department team near Co... more

    2 Days Ago

  • Continuum Medical Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    Continuum Medical Staffing | Columbus, OH

    PSYCHIATRIST- CHILD/ADOLESCENT COLUMBUS OHIO We are seeking a Board-Certified Child/ Adolescent Psychiatrist for a permanent position in Columbus Ohio No V... more

    3 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    15 Days Ago

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FAQ about Operations Chief

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Operations Chief?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Operations Chief roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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.)

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