Compensation for chief financial officers at large US companies rose 16% in 2021 from the previous year, lifted by a sharp increase in bonus pay, according to an analysis of early proxy filings.
In 2022, C-suite salaries are expected to increase 4.4%, in part because of higher inflation, according to a December survey of 339 companies and nonprofits by Pearl Meyer, a compensation advisory firm. That is roughly in line with salary increases that companies expect to pay for lower-level executives and rank-and-file employees, according to the survey. Companies are confronting wage pressure across employment levels, and some are providing more flexible working arrangements in response, said Bill Reilly, managing director at Pearl Meyer.