Side-by-side distribution
CFO
$198,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 26.9%
- Live roles
- 568
Tax Specialist
$139,400
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 35.6%
- Live roles
- 1,926
Highest-paying jobs
Chief Financial Officer
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VP Digital & Technology Solutions Partner - Finance, Accounting & Oracle ERP
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
Senior Tax Manager, International
Senior Tax Manager, International
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Tax Innovation - AI Engineer - Senior Manager
Value Added Tax (VAT) Senior Manager
Sales & Use Tax Senior Manager
Japanese Business Network - Private Tax Senior Manager
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Cherry Bekaert
|
$74,000 | 19 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
RSM
|
$152,025 | 84 |
|
PwC
|
$182,500 | 77 |
| BT Baker Tilly | $132,105 | 63 |
Ascend Partner Firms
|
$160,000 | 23 |
BDO Canada
|
$107,000 | 22 |
Plante Moran
|
$152,500 | 20 |
|
Cherry Bekaert
|
$138,300 | 20 |
EisnerAmper
|
$163,750 | 16 |
CFO salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $300,000 | 13 |
| Denver | $225,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $185,673 | 10 |
| New York | $160,000 | 33 |
| Austin | $155,775 | 8 |
| Boston | $149,375 | 5 |
| Chicago | $138,950 | 25 |
| Seattle | $138,075 | 3 |
| Atlanta | $138,075 | 11 |
Tax Specialist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $182,500 | 152 |
| San Francisco | $182,500 | 88 |
| Los Angeles | $182,500 | 77 |
| Chicago | $182,500 | 135 |
| Boston | $182,500 | 84 |
| Atlanta | $182,500 | 53 |
| Seattle | $174,750 | 48 |
| Denver | $171,300 | 50 |
| Austin | $161,875 | 26 |
| Toronto | $114,253 | 42 |
CFO vs Tax Specialist: which pays more?
The median for CFO is $198,500 per year (typically $137,500–$270,000), versus $139,400 for Tax Specialist ($110,000–$180,000). That puts CFO about 42% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so CFO and Tax Specialist 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.