How much does a Chief Operating Officer make?

The average salary for a Chief Operating Officer is $376,086 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 6474 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Chief Operating Officer employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Chief Operating Officer in United States is $521,573 per year.

The lowest salary for a Chief Operating Officer in United States is $282,064 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Chief Operating Officer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Chief Operating Officer.

Chief operating officers (COO) are senior ranking members of their firms, so they generally enjoy a high professional salary and substantial decision-making power. Their pay typically lags that of revenue generating executives, but they enjoy total focus on their work as they do not have client-relationship management duties.

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Chief operating officers (COOs) typically make additional money through bonuses and stock options, leading to an average total pay of $376,085.69 that includes their salary. Based on Glassdoor data, approximately 87% of COOs are satisfied with their salaries.

The typical career path for a COO includes several years of experience in management and leadership roles. Most COOs have a master's degree in business administration (MBA) or a related field. Total pay ranges from $218,129.70 to $688,236.81, depending on the company and your experience. The total average pay you can expect as a COO is $376,085.69 after gaining experience in the role.

A COO's job is to deliver growth and improvements to the business. The best way to make more money is to provide results that increase shareholder value. This can be done through a variety of means, such as increasing revenue, reducing costs, or improving efficiency.

Once you have experience as a COO, moving to a larger company will lead to an increase in salary. Alternatively, you can look to move into the chief executive office (CEO) role, which should come with a pay increase. Increasing your exposure to the board of directors through regular communication can also lead to a pay rise as your profile within the company increases.

If you can demonstrate the value you have brought to your company, you'll be in a strong negotiating position. During your time as COO, if you have directly increased company profit, cut costs across departments, or delivered successful projects, communicate this to your boss when discussing a pay rise.

When looking for new opportunities as a COO, compile your most significant successes to demonstrate your worth to employers. Use a mix of hard evidence and persuasive language to show why you deserve a higher salary. Be sure to talk about the experience you have in project management, such as Six Sigma or Agile, as these will be highly sought after.

About 86.50% of Chief Operating Officer professionals feel satisfied with their salary, according to anonymous Glassdoor ratings. An additional $169,123 in potential pay per year, among other factors, can qualify the annual pay of a Chief Operating Officer in United States as a good salary.

Chief Operating Officer professionals in United States have a wide total pay range, between $218,130 and $688,237 depending on experience, with an estimated total pay of $376,086 following the average career path of a Chief Operating Officer.