The pay gap between CEOs and their C-suite counterparts is narrowing. In 2022, the average base salary increase for CEOs was 4.4 percent. Meanwhile, CFOs received a median pay raise of 5.5 percent, more than a full percentage point higher.

As responsibilities have grown throughout the C-suite, the career trajectory for finance leaders has evolved to match. Today, many senior finance employees look beyond their current organization for growth opportunities, and some successfully level-up to CEO positions. These factors, along with increased retention efforts across industries, have all contributed to the rise in CFO pay.

More than any other C-suite leaders, CFOs are taking responsibilities off CEOs' plates and demonstrating their strategic value in steering companies through challenging macroeconomic landscapes. As a result, the traditional boundaries between the CEO and CFO roles are blurring — leading organizations to rethink the ideal CFO profile (and paycheck).