Side-by-side distribution
CFO
$190,145
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25.8%
- Live roles
- 608
Investment Banking
$170,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 68.2%
- Live roles
- 352
Highest-paying jobs
1.1. Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer of WME Group
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
VP Digital & Technology Solutions Partner - Finance, Accounting & Oracle ERP
Chief Financial Officer
Managing Director, CFO Accounting Advisory
Managing Director - CFO Accounting Advisory
VP, Finance Optimization - Enterprise
Chief Financial Officer
Highest-paying jobs
Investment Banker II
Investment Banker I
BlackArch Investment Banker
Vice President, Investment Banker
Investment Banking & Capital Markets – Banker – Financial Institutions Group Vice President
Investment Banking - Banker - Tech - VP - New York or San Francisco
Investment Banking - Banker - Real Estate - VP - New York
Investment Banking & Capital Markets–Banker–Healthcare Services Vice President
Investment Banking - Banker - Power & Utilities, Renewables - VP - New York
Investment Banking and Capital Markets – Banker – Consumer and Business Services- Vice President
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Cherry Bekaert
|
$95,750 | 20 |
CFO Insights
|
$190,145 | 8 |
|
Bank of America
|
$122,100 | 7 |
The Symicor Group
|
$185,000 | 6 |
| BT Baker Tilly | $294,485 | 4 |
Orchard
|
$337,500 | 3 |
Hold Brothers
|
$195,000 | 3 |
Anders
|
$96,000 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| PS Piper Sandler | $171,250 | 24 |
Moelis & Company
|
$200,000 | 19 |
Mizuho Americas
|
$120,000 | 19 |
Houlihan Lokey
|
$187,500 | 18 |
MUFG
|
$115,000 | 16 |
BMO
|
$91,176 | 14 |
| MS Morgan Stanley | $187,500 | 12 |
Guggenheim Securities
|
$175,000 | 12 |
CFO salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $260,410 | 9 |
| Los Angeles | $200,000 | 7 |
| New York | $197,500 | 35 |
| London | $190,145 | 8 |
| Boston | $189,375 | 6 |
| Austin | $172,600 | 11 |
| Denver | $164,038 | 6 |
| Atlanta | $143,500 | 12 |
| Chicago | $142,500 | 20 |
| Seattle | $138,075 | 3 |
Investment Banking salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $175,000 | 136 |
| San Francisco | $175,000 | 18 |
| Boston | $175,000 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 21 |
| Chicago | $167,500 | 18 |
| Atlanta | $150,000 | 6 |
| Toronto | $80,000 | 11 |
CFO vs Investment Banking: which pays more?
The median for CFO is $190,145 per year (typically $128,600–$250,000), versus $170,000 for Investment Banking ($115,000–$200,000). That puts CFO about 12% 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.