Fintech & Corporate Finance · C-Suite

Head of Risk (Fintech) Salary

Compensation benchmarks from 255 verified sources including industry surveys, published reports, and market intelligence.

National Compensation Range

P25

$220,000

25th percentile

P50

$260,000

Median

P75

$310,000

75th percentile

CANDIDATE MARKET

Very Tight

Scarcity: 8/10

EST. CANDIDATE POOL

15-35

Active candidates nationally

DEMAND TREND

Stable

8% year-over-year

RETENTION

3.4 yr avg tenure

21% annual turnover

Head of Risk (Fintech) Salary by City

New York City, NY$365,000
San Francisco, CA$340,000
Palm Beach, FL$340,000
Boston, MA$325,000
Los Angeles, CA$310,000

Median (P50) adjusted for metro cost of labor.

Market Trends

Heads of risk in fintech are in high demand as boards push for stronger governance and regulators scrutinize underwriting, fraud, and operational risks. Talent that blends data-driven decisioning with traditional risk frameworks commands premium compensation.

Also Known As

Head of Risk, Head of Enterprise Risk (Fintech), Director of Risk Management, VP Risk (Fintech), Head of Credit & Operational Risk

What Does a Head of Risk (Fintech) Do?

The Head of Risk (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 12 to 18 years of relevant experience. Classified at the C-Suite level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 15-35 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.

What Drives Head of Risk (Fintech) Compensation?

The median (P50) compensation for a Head of Risk (Fintech) is $260,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $220,000 to $310,000. 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 0.08% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.

Head of Risk (Fintech) Career Path

Professionals who move into Head of Risk (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 3.4 years, with an annual turnover rate of 21%.

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