Side-by-side distribution
CFO
$200,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 26.9%
- Live roles
- 569
Investment Banking
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 67.2%
- Live roles
- 344
Highest-paying jobs
Chief Financial Officer
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
VP Digital & Technology Solutions Partner - Finance, Accounting & Oracle ERP
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Vice Dean, Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer
Managing Director, CFO Accounting Advisory
Managing Director - CFO Accounting Advisory
Highest-paying jobs
Investment Banker II
Investment Banking Associate
Investment Banker I
Investment Banking - Banker - Industrials - Associate / Vice President - New York
Investment Banking - Banker - REGAL, Sports - Vice President - New York
Investment Banking: Financial Institutions Group (FIG) - Debt Capital Markets Associate-Vice President
Senior Associate/VP, Global Investment Banking, Project Finance
Investment Banking - Banker - Tech - VP - New York or San Francisco
Sr Investment Banking Associate - Healthcare
Investment Banking - Banker - Power & Utilities, Renewables - VP - New York
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Cherry Bekaert
|
$89,475 | 20 |
| BT Baker Tilly | $268,348 | 8 |
The Symicor Group
|
$185,000 | 6 |
Bank of America
|
$135,175 | 6 |
Fortitude Re
|
$206,250 | 4 |
Hold Brothers
|
$195,000 | 3 |
Ankura
|
$142,500 | 3 |
|
Truist
|
$125,000 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Mizuho Americas
|
$120,000 | 26 |
Piper Sandler
|
$175,000 | 23 |
Guggenheim Securities
|
$175,000 | 21 |
Houlihan Lokey
|
$181,250 | 16 |
Moelis & Company
|
$200,000 | 15 |
MUFG
|
$145,000 | 13 |
| RJ Raymond James | $118,750 | 12 |
BMO
|
$103,603 | 12 |
CFO salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $300,000 | 14 |
| Denver | $225,000 | 5 |
| Boston | $196,313 | 6 |
| Los Angeles | $185,673 | 10 |
| New York | $160,000 | 33 |
| Austin | $138,950 | 9 |
| Chicago | $138,725 | 26 |
| Seattle | $138,075 | 3 |
| Atlanta | $138,075 | 11 |
Investment Banking salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $200,000 | 4 |
| New York | $177,500 | 134 |
| San Francisco | $175,000 | 18 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 22 |
| Chicago | $160,000 | 18 |
| Denver | $122,500 | 4 |
| Toronto | $105,000 | 9 |
CFO vs Investment Banking: which pays more?
The median for CFO is $200,000 per year (typically $138,075–$270,000), versus $175,000 for Investment Banking ($120,000–$200,000). That puts CFO about 14% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so CFO and Investment Banking are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.