At the executive level in business, many roles and positions are responsible for overseeing, managing, and leading a company’s day-to-day operations. Known as C-suite executives, these individuals manage how a company operates across sectors such as human resources, finance, technology, and commercial operations. C-suite executives must make sure that they’re doing their jobs effectively so that the industry of the company they’re responsible for managing functions properly and aligns with the company’s operational needs and goals.
Generally, some C-Suite executives assume these senior-level positions by moving up the ranks within the same company they started in, gaining the skills and experience they need to carry out C-suite-level responsibilities. Others may move from a different company in the same or a related industry and then hold a similar job title at a new company, such as when an individual who was a Chief Executive Officer at a major retail company transitioned to another Chief Executive Officer role.
C-suite executives generally pursue higher education degrees in business, finance, law, or an adjacent field that’s relevant to business and corporate sectors. Many also go on to obtain their MBA (Master of Business Administration) to build on the knowledge and skills they already acquired at the Bachelor’s level while developing new skills.
Having an MBA or a similar graduate degree can also come with higher pay rates, depending on the field. As of this year, C-suite executives in the United States combined make an average of $143,000 per year. Their salaries can vary due to a range of factors, such as their title and role responsibilities, the number of years of experience they have, and a company’s performance, among other reasons.
Learn more about the various C-suite titles below, what they do, and how much money they can make.
CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
Chief Executive Officers are responsible for running a company and leading an organization’s operational efforts. Chief Executive Officers lead a company’s executive team and work with other C-suite executives. They are tasked with making decisions on behalf of a company and work with the company’s executive team and board of directors to finalize these decisions. Chief Executive Officers don’t always own the companies they run. Instead, many represent them at an executive level. Many CEOs of leading S&P 500 companies can make millions of dollars per year. In 2024, the average total compensation for CEOs that run S&P 500 companies was $18.9 million.
CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
Chief Financial Officers, or CFOs, are responsible for managing and overseeing a company’s finances. They evaluate a company’s financial performance and make strategic financial decisions. Chief Financial Officers budget a company’s finances, do financial planning, risk and cost management, and make sure that a company’s financial matters are in line with regulatory compliance. CFOs’ median total compensation is roughly $605,000 per year.
COO (Chief Operating Officer)
Chief Operating Officers manage a company’s daily operations so that everything runs smoothly and aligns with the company’s operational needs and goals. Chief Operating Officers oversee company teams and work with other C-suite executives and those in senior-level or management positions to ensure company operations remain intact. COOs also evaluate a company’s operations, create new strategies to enhance operations, make sure that a company’s operations are aligned with all legal requirements and regulations, and make strategic decisions that improve how a company functions. On average, COOs make about $465,000 per year.
CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
Chief Technology Officers are responsible for managing and implementing a company’s technological strategies and initiatives. They must make sure that the technology a company uses aligns with its organization’s needs and goals, and identify areas of improvement that benefit its technological operations. Chief Technology Officers are also responsible for managing a company’s technology budgets. They may collaborate with Chief Financial Officers on budgeting and financial matters related to a company’s technological initiatives. Chief Technology Officers can make about $315,00 per year.
CIO (Chief Information Officer)
Chief Information Officers ensure that a company’s information and computer technology support its operational initiatives in this sector. Chief Information Officers create and manage a company’s information technology operations and strategies, develop new strategies that are beneficial to a company’s expansion and operations within the IT space, and organize a company’s cybersecurity efforts so that the company’s data and information are protected against cybersecurity threats. CIOs also make sure that a company’s IT efforts and strategies remain in compliance with all regulatory requirements and data governance laws. Chief Information Officers can make an average of $320,000 per year.
CPO (Chief People Officer)
Chief People or Human Resources Officers lead and manage a company’s overall human resources and people operations. Chief People Officers run a company’s talent acquisition and management. They are also responsible for fostering and developing a company’s culture and leading its human resources department. Chief People Officers, alongside HR professionals, must also ensure that a company’s HR initiatives comply with all legal and regulatory requirements related to employee rights and laws. Chief People Officers make an average of $151,000 per year.
CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
Chief Marketing Officers lead a company’s marketing efforts. Chief Marketing Officers develop and implement a company’s marketing strategies and initiatives at the senior level and oversee all of the company’s marketing implementations. Chief Marketing Officers work with a company’s marketing, sales, and product teams, as well as other C-suite executives, to make sure that these marketing strategies are agreed upon and carried out. Chief Marketing Officers make an average of $373,000 per year.
CBO (Chief Business Officer)
Chief Business Officers are in charge of managing a company’s business efforts. Chief Business Officers create business-related strategies that support a company’s overall initiatives in this sector. When implementing these business strategies, CBOs also make sure that these initiatives align with an organization’s overall growth, development, and revenue goals. Chief Business Officers work with Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, and other C-suite and senior executives to collaborate on these business needs and goals. Chief Business Officers have an average salary of about $109,000 per year.
CCO (Chief Commercial Officer)
Chief Commercial Officers manage and oversee a company’s commercial efforts in the areas of strategic growth and development that benefit a company’s profit goals. Chief Commercial Officers are also in charge of a company’s commercial and business initiatives and that they remain aligned with its revenue goals and objectives, and monitor performance through KPI tracking and analysis and metrics reporting. CCOs work in tandem with C-suite-level executives, like Chief Technology Officers and Chief Operating Officers. Chief Commercial Officers make an average of $626,000 per year.
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