Chief of Staff salary by region
| Region | Typical annual pay |
|---|---|
| United StatesNational range; SF/NYC skew higher. | $120,000 – $180,000 |
| United KingdomNational range; London skews higher. | £95,000 – £145,000 |
| European UnionVaries widely by country. | €110,000 – €160,000 |
Ranges are directional benchmarks for budgeting, not offers. Actual pay depends on location, company stage, and the candidate’s track record.
What moves a Chief of Staff’s salary
Seniority is the biggest lever (senior is the common band for this role), followed by the depth of these skills:
- 5+ years in operations, strategy, or venture-backed company scaling roles
- Demonstrated experience building and optimizing processes across 3+ business functions
- Strong financial literacy: ability to read P&Ls, model scenarios, and spot margin leaks
- Proficiency with spreadsheets (advanced Excel) and data-viz tools (Tableau, Looker, or Google Data Studio)
- Track record managing and mentoring teams of 3+ people through periods of significant growth
- Written and verbal communication clear enough to influence executives and coordinate cross-org initiatives
Why companies pay for a Chief of Staff
Early-stage and scaling SMBs need a trusted operator to translate founder vision into executable plans, manage competing priorities, and reduce the CEO's operational burden so they can focus on fundraising, product, and market fit.
Hiring a Chief of Staff? Skip the $5,000 recruiter fee.
Penroll writes the job post, publishes it, and ranks every applicant’s CV into a shortlist — strengths, red flags, and who to interview first. 25 free credits, no card.