We analysed compensation data from 936 CFOs operating within Private Equity-backed businesses across North America.
The data is segmented by revenue size to highlight how CFO compensation, bonus structures, and equity participation evolve as companies scale.

RESPONDENT BREAKDOWN

• 32% from firms with under $50M revenue
• 38% from firms with $50M–$150M revenue
• 30% from firms with over $150M revenue

BASE SALARY

Firms < $50M Revenue

• Lowest: $115,000
• Median: $225,000
• Highest: $350,000

Firms $50M–$150M Revenue

• Lowest: $180,000
• Median: $300,000
• Highest: $400,000

Firms > $150M Revenue

• Lowest: $250,000
• Median: $375,000
• Highest: $900,000

BONUS STRUCTURE

• 70% of CFOs at firms < $50M receive a bonus of 50% or less
• 65% of CFOs at firms $50M–$150M receive a bonus of 50% or less
• 60% of CFOs at firms > $150M receive a bonus of 50% or less

Key insight: Bonus structures are relatively consistent across revenue bands, with modest increases in upside at scale as financial performance becomes more predictable and tied to structured KPIs.

EQUITY PARTICIPATION

• 45% of CFOs at firms < $50M receive equity or equity equivalent
• 65% of CFOs at firms $50M–$150M receive equity or equity equivalent
• 75% of CFOs at firms > $150M receive equity or equity equivalent

Equity participation increases significantly with scale, reflecting the CFO’s growing role in value creation, capital strategy, and exit readiness.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Median CFO salary scales from $225K to $375K as businesses grow beyond $150M revenue.
• Top-end compensation increases significantly, reaching up to $900K in larger platforms.
• Bonus structures remain relatively stable, with incremental upside at scale.
• Equity becomes increasingly important, particularly in mid-to-large PE-backed businesses.

Bottom Line

CFO compensation in PE-backed businesses balances financial stewardship with value creation accountability.
While base salary increases with company size, the real upside is driven by equity participation and involvement in transactions, integrations, and exits.

Looking to benchmark CFO compensation or hire a CFO for your portfolio company?
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All insights in this salary report are derived from Raw Selection’s proprietary data