Fintech & Corporate Finance · Manager · 4 to 8 years typical
State Licensing Manager Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 257 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $135,000 | $160,000 | $190,000 | $215,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $125,000 | $150,000 | $175,000 | $200,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $120,000 | $145,000 | $170,000 | $195,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $120,000 | $145,000 | $170,000 | $195,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $115,000 | $140,000 | $165,000 | $190,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $115,000 | $140,000 | $160,000 | $185,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $115,000 | $140,000 | $160,000 | $185,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $110,000 | $130,000 | $155,000 | $180,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $100,000 | $120,000 | $140,000 | $165,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $95,000 | $115,000 | $135,000 | $155,000 |
Time to fill 27 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
State licensing managers have become more central as fintechs pursue nationwide money transmission, lending, and other licenses. Complexity of state-by-state rules and ongoing maintenance has driven demand for experienced licensing professionals.
What does a State Licensing Manager do?
The State Licensing Manager 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 4 to 8 years of relevant experience. Classified at the Manager level, this position draws from a tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 35-90 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives State Licensing Manager compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a State Licensing Manager is $115,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $95,000 to $135,000. 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 8% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.
State Licensing Manager career path
Professionals who move into State Licensing Manager 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 years, with an annual turnover rate of 23%.
Hiring a State Licensing Manager?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.