CFO COMPENSATION IN PE-BACKED AEROSPACE & DEFENSE FIRMS

We gathered insights from 121 CFOs working in Private Equity-backed Aerospace & Defense companies. The report breaks down compensation based on company revenue levels.

RESPONDENT BREAKDOWN

• 31% from firms under $50M revenue

• 40% from firms with $50M–$150M revenue

• 29% from firms over $150M revenue

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BASE SALARY

Firms < $50M Revenue

• Median: $210,500

• Range: $100,000 – $300,000

Firms $50M–$150M Revenue

• Median: $242,364

• Range: $150,000 – $330,000

Firms > $150M Revenue

• Median: $276,857

• Range: $158,000 – $408,000

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BONUS

• 92% of CFOs at firms <$50M receive a bonus of 50% or less

• 92% at firms $50M–$150M receive a bonus of 50% or less

• 82% at firms >$150M receive a bonus of 50% or less

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EQUITY

• 66% of CFOs at firms <$50M hold equity

• 60% at firms $50M–$150M hold equity

• 57% at firms >$150M hold equity

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Key Takeaways:

• Base pay increases with revenue – Median salary climbs from $210K (<$50M) to $277K (>$150M). Steady progression with scale.

• Bonuses are capped low – Over 80% of CFOs across all revenue tiers get a bonus of 50% or less. No big payouts here.

• Equity more common at smaller firms – 66% of CFOs at sub-$50M firms have equity vs just 57% at large firms. Reverse of the expected trend.

• Tight comp bands – Pay ranges don’t stretch as wide as in other sectors, even at the top end.

Bottom line: CFOs in PE-backed Aerospace & Defense firms are well-paid on base, but rarely see large bonuses or significant equity—especially in bigger firms.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Base pay increases with revenue – Median salary climbs from $210K (<$50M) to $277K (>$150M). Steady progression with scale.

• Bonuses are capped low – Over 80% of CFOs across all revenue tiers get a bonus of 50% or less. No big payouts here.

• Equity more common at smaller firms – 66% of CFOs at sub-$50M firms have equity vs just 57% at large firms. Reverse of the expected trend.

• Tight comp bands – Pay ranges don’t stretch as wide as in other sectors, even at the top end.

Bottom line: CFOs in PE-backed Aerospace & Defense firms are well-paid on base, but rarely see large bonuses or significant equity—especially in bigger 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.