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Chief Financial Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a chief financial officer is $252,200 per annum, before tax, up $53,600 since 2018.
At this level the package is shaped by the size and complexity of the organisation as much as by the title, since running finance for a listed company, a bank or a large public entity is a different job from doing it in a small private firm. Short-term incentives and long-term share plans usually form a large part of total earnings, so the figure moves with company performance as well as with salary. Sector and the scope of reporting obligations also affect what employers will pay.
How to negotiate a higher chief financial officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time chief financial officer salary is $252,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Financial reporting and Tax compliance and planning tend to command a premium over general chief financial officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Chief Financial Officer salary questions
How much do chief financial officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a chief financial officer is $252,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is chief financial officer pay rising or falling?
The median chief financial officer salary is up $53,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.