Leads all revenue-generating teams, typically sales, marketing, customer success and revenue operations, and owns the company's revenue targets. BLS does not publish separate figures for sales managers; it counts them within sales manager (SOC 11-2022), whose median pay is $148,270 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-2022
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chief Revenue Officer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $148,270a year, or $71.28/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $73KTop 10% $291K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.5%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 47,300650,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025650.1K
- Projected 2035679.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 650.1K Projected 2035 679.1K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college19.1%
- Associate's4.8%
- Bachelor's71.4%
- Master's4.8%
Highest education held by sales managers Segment Value Some college 19.1% Associate's 4.8% Bachelor's 71.4% Master's 4.8%
Also advertised as: CRO, Chief Commercial Officer, Chief Growth Officer, SVP of Revenue, Head of Revenue.
Pay
How much do Sales Managers make?
Every chief revenue officer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$148,270
Middle half earn $100,360 to $207,340
- 10th
- $73,170
- 25th
- $100,360
- 75th
- $207,340
- 90th
- $290,540
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,170 |
| 25th | $100,360 |
| Median | $148,270 |
| 75th | $207,340 |
| 90th | $290,540 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $148,270
- Median hourly wage
- $71.28/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $164,350
- People employed
- 637,080
Versus all US occupations
At $148,270, Sales Managers earn 191% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $97,290 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 18% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $290,540 or more while the bottom 10% earn $73,170, a gap of 4.0×. 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 93% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $217,640, and still leads at $201,666 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Sales 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 York | $217,640 | $201,666 | 38,510 |
| 2Massachusetts | $191,200 | $180,792 | 15,010 |
| 3Virginia | $191,130 | $189,043 | 9,670 |
| 4Colorado | $180,850 | $175,494 | 8,780 |
| 5Washington | $174,000 | $162,597 | 10,030 |
| 6New Jersey | $173,020 | $159,018 | 20,090 |
| 7Connecticut | $162,110 | $156,462 | 8,560 |
| 8Kansas | $159,990 | $177,632 | 6,820 |
| 9Georgia | $159,890 | $166,045 | 17,690 |
| 10Maine | $158,660 | $163,483 | N/A |
Job outlook
Is Chief Revenue Officer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sales Managers | +4.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Sales Managers to change 4.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 29,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 47,300 openings are projected each year, 7.3% of the 650,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chief Revenue Officer
Most CROs spend many years in sales, rising from individual seller to manager, director and vice president of sales. Others come from marketing, customer success or general management. A bachelor's degree is typical, and some hold an MBA.
There is no license or required credential. Boards and CEOs look for a track record of hitting revenue targets, building teams that scale, and understanding data from revenue operations. Experience at companies of different sizes, and in the same industry, makes candidates stronger.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 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 sales managers.
- Bachelor's Degree71.4%
- Some College Courses19.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree4.8%
- Master's Degree4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 71.4% |
| Some College Courses | 19.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 4.8% |
| Master's Degree | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Chief Revenue Officer do?
Chief revenue officers are responsible for how a company makes money from customers. They lead sales, and often marketing, customer success, partnerships and revenue operations, aligning these teams around a single revenue plan.
CROs set targets and forecasts, design the go-to-market strategy, decide which markets and customer segments to pursue, and build pricing and compensation plans. They hire and coach sales leaders, review pipeline and deal progress, and step into major negotiations. They report to the CEO and board on revenue performance and are judged directly on growth, retention and efficiency.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set annual revenue targets and forecasts
- Lead sales, marketing and customer success teams
- Design go-to-market strategy and customer segments
- Build sales compensation and territory plans
- Review pipeline and deal progress with leaders
- Join negotiations on the largest deals
- Report revenue performance to the CEO and board
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
CROs work at company headquarters or remotely, with frequent travel to meet major customers, regional teams and partners. Hours are long and pressure is high, especially at quarter-end. Tenure can be short when targets are missed.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
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 dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually 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
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Writing3.6
- Learning Strategies3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Negotiation4.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Persuasion3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Management of Personnel Resources3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Instructing3.8
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Negotiation | 4.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Persuasion | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Instructing | 3.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD 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
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP 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 Revenue Officer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's Sales Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chief Revenue Officer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| 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
- Conventional5.8
- Social3.4
- Investigative2.9
- Realistic1.5
- Artistic1.4
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 Revenue Officer
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More management careers
Median annual pay, with sales managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Chief Revenue Officer$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- 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 |
| Chief Revenue Officer | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chief Revenue Officer appears on
Questions
Chief Revenue Officer: frequently asked questions
How much do Sales Managers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for sales managers. It counts them within sales manager, whose median pay is $148,270 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $100,360 and $207,340, and the top 10% earn $290,540 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chief Revenue Officer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Sales Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 71.4% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Chief Revenue Officer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.5% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 47,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chief Revenue Officer do?
Chief revenue officers are responsible for how a company makes money from customers. A typical task: set annual revenue targets and forecasts. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Cloud-based management software.
Which states pay Sales Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Sales Managers are New York ($217,640), Massachusetts ($191,200), Virginia ($191,130) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Chief Revenue Officer?
O*NET scores Sales 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.