Hourly Wage for Chief Operating Officer Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Chief Operating Officer?

As of April 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Chief Operating Officer in the United States is $224, which translates to an annual salary of about $466,464.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $280 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $205 to $254 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $187 per hour
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View as table View as graph 25% $205 10% $187 90% $280 75% $254 $224 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Chief Operating Officer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $527,446 $43,954 $10,143 $254
Average $466,464 $38,872 $8,970 $224
25th Percentile $426,272 $35,523 $8,198 $205
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Key Factors That Influence Chief Operating Officer Salaries

A Chief Operating Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chief Operating Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Operating Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $441,869
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $445,468
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $450,267
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $457,466
  • Expert (over 8 years): $466,464
Levels Salary
Entry Level Chief Operating Officer$441,869
Intermediate Level Chief Operating Officer$445,468
Senior Level Chief Operating Officer$450,267
Specialist Level Chief Operating Officer$457,466
Expert Level Chief Operating Officer$466,464
$441,869 0 yr
$445,468 < 2 yrs
$450,267 2-4 yrs
$457,466 5-8 yrs
$466,464 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Chief Operating Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $588,351
  • San Francisco: $582,567
  • Oakland: $569,646

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Operating Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 17.81% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.68% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Business Administration (Mentioned in 1.24% Job Postings): It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 17.81%
Microsoft Office 1.68%
Business Administration 1.24%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chief Operating Officer's salary.
  • Long Term Care: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Communication Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Long Term Care
$513,110
10%
Commitment
$508,446
9%
Communication Skills
$503,781
8%
Analysis
$499,116
7%
Collaboration
$499,116
7%
Oral Communication
$499,116
7%
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How Education impacts a Chief Operating Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Operating Officers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Chief Operating Officer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $455,838 and $523,206).

Chief Operating Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Operating Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 5.8%
Associates 4.1%
Bachelors 39.2%
Masters 44.1%
Doctorate 5.7%
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Chief Operating Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chief Operating Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

Most common benefits for Chief Operating Officer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Chief Operating Officer

Here are companies hiring for Chief Operating Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Chief Operating Officer

1. What are the responsibilities of Chief Operating Officer?

Leads the planning and development of an organization's operational policies, objectives, and initiatives. Develops strategies and oversees the execution of plans to attain short- and long-term financial and mission-critical operational goals. Directs the development of the organization's functional capacity that will produce sustainable growth and minimize risk. Defines operating goals and develops budgets to support business objectives. Establishes effective operational policies and procedures. Researches technology changes to lead expansion efforts, drive scalability, and implement technology-driven solutions. Typically requires a master's degree. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.

2. What are the skills of Chief Operating Officer

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Microsoft Office: Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

3.)

Business Administration: It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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