A recent salary survey by Raw Selection focused on this niche, particularly within Private Equity-backed companies in the U.S. The findings shed light on the remuneration landscape across three revenue categories: up to $50 million, $50 million to $150 million, and over $150 million. Here’s a deep dive into the insights gleaned from the survey and what they signify for both CFOs and hiring entities in this industry.

Compensation in Companies with Revenue Up to $50 Million

For companies generating up to $50 million in revenue, CFO salaries exhibited a wide range. The lowest reported salary was $100,000, while the highest reached $320,000. This variance reflects the diversity of roles and responsibilities that CFOs might shoulder within this revenue bracket. The median salary stood at $197,659, providing a benchmark for firms to gauge their compensation structures.

Bonus structures in this category showed that 78% of CFOs received less than 50% of their salary as a bonus, with the lowest bonus percentage being 5%. However, a noteworthy 22% of CFOs in this revenue bracket had bonuses extending up to 100% of their salaries, highlighting significant performance-based incentives. Additionally, 61% of CFOs reported having an equity stake in their organization, emphasizing the trend towards aligning executives’ interests with the long-term success of the company.

Compensation in Companies with Revenue Between $50 Million and $150 Million

Moving up the revenue scale, companies with $50 million to $150 million in revenue offered CFOs a salary range between $150,000 and $330,000. The median salary in this bracket increased to $242,478, indicating the heightened complexity and demand of the CFO role in larger organizations.

In terms of bonuses, 60% of CFOs received less than 50% as a bonus, with the lowest at 10% and the highest up to 90%. This suggests a broad spectrum of bonus structures tailored to individual company performance metrics. Additionally, the increase in equity participation to 70% in this revenue category underscores the growing emphasis on equity as a key component of executive compensation, fostering long-term commitment and alignment with business outcomes.

Compensation in Companies with Revenue Over $150 Million

For the largest companies surveyed, with revenues exceeding $150 million, CFO salaries ranged from $150,000 to $408,000. The median salary escalated to $277,094, reflecting the critical strategic role CFOs play in guiding large organizations through financial landscapes.

The bonus structure for this group indicated that 59% of CFOs received bonuses below 50%, with the lowest bonus reported at 20% and the highest reaching an unprecedented 120%. This showcases the potential for substantial performance-based rewards at this level. Equity participation remained strong, with 60% of CFOs having a stake in their companies, reinforcing the trend towards equity-based compensation across all revenue brackets.

Conclusion

The insights from Raw Selection’s salary survey provide valuable benchmarks for both CFOs and aerospace and defense companies in the private equity space.

The data highlights the importance of competitive salary and bonus structures, along with equity participation, to attract and retain top financial executives. As companies navigate the complexities of the aerospace and defense market, understanding these compensation trends is crucial for setting strategic remuneration policies that align executives’ incentives with company performance and growth objectives.

Whether you’re evaluating your own compensation package or looking to set competitive salaries for your CFO, these findings offer a clear guide to navigating the financial landscape of the aerospace and defense industry.

All the information cited was extracted from our CRM system.