Works as a senior executive's right hand, running priority projects, leadership meetings and company operations on their behalf. BLS does not publish separate figures for general and operations managers; it counts them within general and operations manager (SOC 11-1021), whose median pay is $105,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-1021
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chief of Staff in four numbers
- Median pay
- $105,770a year, or $50.85/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $50KTop 10% $253K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 285,0003,599,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.6M
- Projected 20353.8M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.6M Projected 2035 3.8M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school10.4%
- High school28.8%
- Certificate5.7%
- Some college21.6%
- Associate's6%
- Bachelor's27.3%
Highest education held by general and operations managers Segment Value Less than high school 10.4% High school 28.8% Certificate 5.7% Some college 21.6% Associate's 6% Bachelor's 27.3%
Also advertised as: Chief of Staff to the CEO, Executive Chief of Staff, Business Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff, Operations, Head of Staff.
Pay
How much do General and Operations Managers make?
Every chief of staff in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$105,770
Middle half earn $72,320 to $167,280
- 10th
- $50,090
- 25th
- $72,320
- 75th
- $167,280
- 90th
- $253,390
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,090 |
| 25th | $72,320 |
| Median | $105,770 |
| 75th | $167,280 |
| 90th | $253,390 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $105,770
- Median hourly wage
- $50.85/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $134,940
- People employed
- 3,503,020
Versus all US occupations
At $105,770, General and Operations Managers earn 107% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $54,790 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 16% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $253,390 or more while the bottom 10% earn $50,090, a gap of 5.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 79% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Jersey pays the most at $173,690, and still leads at $159,634 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay General and Operations Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Jersey | $173,690 | $159,634 | 53,000 |
| 2District of Columbia | $168,000 | $152,865 | 36,150 |
| 3South Dakota | $137,400 | $155,104 | 4,280 |
| 4Connecticut | $137,220 | $132,439 | 39,070 |
| 5Delaware | $137,220 | $137,484 | 5,000 |
| 6Washington | $133,750 | $124,985 | 50,630 |
| 7Colorado | $131,840 | $127,935 | 41,870 |
| 8New York | $130,860 | $121,255 | 206,740 |
| 9Massachusetts | $127,220 | $120,295 | 95,880 |
| 10New Hampshire | $124,680 | $119,695 | 22,110 |
Job outlook
Is Chief of Staff a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | +5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of General and Operations Managers to change 5.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 181,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 285,000 openings are projected each year, 7.9% of the 3,599,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chief of Staff
Most chiefs of staff have experience in management consulting, investment banking, operations, or a fast-growing startup, and usually hold a bachelor's degree; many have an MBA. Some come from government, military or political roles, where chief of staff positions have long existed.
There is no license or required credential. Leaders hire people they trust who can write clearly, analyze problems, handle confidential information and influence peers without formal authority. The role often lasts a few years and leads to general management, operations leadership or a senior functional role.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as general and operations managers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)28.8%
- Bachelor's Degree27.3%
- Some College Courses21.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma10.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 28.8% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 27.3% |
| Some College Courses | 21.6% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 10.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Chief of Staff do?
In business, a chief of staff extends a CEO or senior executive's reach. They decide what reaches the executive's desk, run leadership team meetings, track company goals, and make sure decisions turn into action across departments.
The role changes with the leader and the company. On a given day a chief of staff might prepare a board deck, lead a planning cycle, run a special project such as opening a new office or fixing a broken process, and handle a sensitive personnel issue. They are not an executive assistant: they act as a strategic partner and often manage small teams themselves.
Day-to-day tasks
- Run leadership team meetings and track action items
- Prepare board and executive presentations
- Lead cross-functional projects on behalf of the executive
- Manage company planning and goal-setting processes
- Filter and prioritize issues that reach the executive
- Communicate decisions across the organization
- Handle confidential personnel and strategic matters
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Chiefs of staff work at company headquarters or remotely alongside their executive, with schedules that mirror the leader's, including early mornings and some evenings. Travel to board meetings, offsites and other offices is common. The job is fast moving and varied, with frequent shifts in priorities.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.6
- Writing3.5
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.9
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Management of Personnel Resources3.8
- Persuasion3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Time Management3.6
- Negotiation3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Negotiation | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Chief of Staff?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECS) built on O*NET's General and Operations Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chief of Staff |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising7.0
- Conventional5.7
- Social4.1
- Investigative2.4
- Realistic2.2
- Artistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Chief of Staff
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Management
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$87,520median a year
Most earn $50K to $164K
+0.5%High school - Management
More management careers
Median annual pay, with general and operations managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Chief of Staff$105,770
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Chief of Staff | $105,770 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chief of Staff appears on
Questions
Chief of Staff: frequently asked questions
How much do General and Operations Managers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for general and operations managers. It counts them within general and operations manager, whose median pay is $105,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $72,320 and $167,280, and the top 10% earn $253,390 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chief of Staff?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for General and Operations Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 28.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Chief of Staff a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 285,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chief of Staff do?
In business, a chief of staff extends a CEO or senior executive's reach. A typical task: run leadership team meetings and track action items. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay General and Operations Managers the most?
The highest state medians for General and Operations Managers are New Jersey ($173,690), District of Columbia ($168,000), South Dakota ($137,400) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Chief of Staff?
O*NET scores General and Operations Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.