Fintech & Corporate Finance · C-Suite · 16 to 22 years typical
Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 258 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $365,000 | $435,000 | $500,000 | $600,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $340,000 | $405,000 | $470,000 | $560,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $325,000 | $390,000 | $450,000 | $540,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $325,000 | $390,000 | $450,000 | $540,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $320,000 | $380,000 | $440,000 | $530,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $310,000 | $370,000 | $430,000 | $520,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $310,000 | $370,000 | $430,000 | $520,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $300,000 | $355,000 | $415,000 | $495,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $275,000 | $325,000 | $380,000 | $450,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $260,000 | $310,000 | $360,000 | $430,000 |
Time to fill 37 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
CRO roles in fintech have grown sharply as regulators increase scrutiny of credit, operational, and model risk and as investors demand tighter risk governance. Talent that combines bank-grade risk frameworks with fintech product familiarity commands a significant premium.
What does a Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) do?
The Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) operates within fintech companies, financial services firms, and corporate finance functions, building financial products, managing compliance, or driving operational growth. Professionals in this role typically bring 16 to 22 years of relevant experience. Classified at the C-Suite level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 10-25 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) is $310,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $260,000 to $360,000. Pay variation across this range is primarily driven by company stage and funding (startup vs. growth vs. public), regulatory complexity, geographic market, technical specialization (payments, lending, crypto, regtech), and equity compensation structure. Demand for this role is trending upward with 9% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.
Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) career path
Professionals who move into Chief Risk Officer (Fintech) roles most commonly come from traditional banking, management consulting, software engineering, regulatory bodies, or corporate finance at public companies. From this position, the typical trajectory leads toward C-suite positions at fintech firms, VP-level roles at larger financial institutions, or founding their own financial technology venture. The average tenure in this role is approximately 3.5 years, with an annual turnover rate of 18%.
Hiring a Chief Risk Officer (Fintech)?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.