CEO COMPENSATION IN PE-BACKED AEROSPACE & DEFENSE FIRMS

We reviewed compensation data from 128 CEOs operating in the Aerospace & Defense sector under Private Equity ownership. Salary data is segmented by company revenue to offer clear, actionable benchmarks.

RESPONDENT BREAKDOWN

• 54% from firms under $50M revenue

• 31% from firms with $50M–$150M revenue

• 15% from firms over $150M revenue

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BASE SALARY

Firms < $50M Revenue

• Median: $276,565

• Range: $150,000 – $525,000

Firms $50M–$150M Revenue

• Median: $318,862

• Range: $225,000 – $475,000

Firms > $150M Revenue

• Median: $420,105

• Range: $210,000 – $1,000,000

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BONUS

• 81% of CEOs at firms <$50M receive a bonus of 50% or less

• 75% at firms $50M–$150M receive a bonus of 50% or less

• 63% at firms >$150M receive a bonus of 50% or less

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EQUITY

• 70% of CEOs at firms <$50M hold equity

• 68% at firms $50M–$150M hold equity

• 58% at firms >$150M hold equity

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Pay scales with size – Median base rises from $277K (<$50M) to $420K (>$150M). Bigger revenue, bigger salary.

• Bonuses still conservative – Even in large firms, 63% of CEOs get a bonus ≤50%. Variable comp lags compared to other sectors.

• Equity is more common in smaller firms – 70% of CEOs at sub-$50M firms hold equity, more than at larger firms.

• Wide range at the top – $1M base for a >$150M firm CEO shows how high it can go.

Bottom line: Aerospace & Defense CEOs in PE-backed firms earn solid base pay, but equity and bonus upside aren’t as aggressive as expected—especially in larger firms.

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Looking to benchmark your pay or hire a proven CEO for your portfolio company?
Reach out at Jack.Burns@raw-selection.com
Principal, Aerospace & Defense

All the insights in this salary report are provided from our proprietary data

Raw Selection | De-Risking Executive Search for Private Equity firms across Europe and North America.