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Finance Manager

Finance Manager

Finance Managers at high-growth companies earn $105K–$155K. Median: $130K. Based on 696 public job postings (2025–2026).

💰 $105K–$155K salary range

Median: $130K  ·  Based on 696 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026


What  does a Finance Manager do?    

A Finance Manager is responsible for overseeing the financial health of an  organization. They manage the financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting  processes to ensure that the organization is financially stable and  profitable. They also advise senior management on financial strategy and help  to identify and mitigate financial risks.    

What is the typical background of a Finance Manager?    

A Finance Manager typically has a bachelor's or master's degree in  finance, accounting, or another related field. They may also have a  professional certification, such as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a  Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Additionally, they typically have several  years of experience in finance or accounting roles, including experience in  financial analysis and management.  

What are some of the typical responsibilities of a Finance Manager?    

The responsibilities of a Finance Manager vary depending on the  organization, but typically include:    

  • Overseeing financial reporting and analysis: This includes preparing  financial statements, analyzing financial data, and communicating financial  results to senior management.
  • Managing the budgeting and forecasting processes: This includes  developing budgets, monitoring actual results against budget, and forecasting  future financial performance.
  • Advising senior management on financial strategy: This includes providing  guidance on financial decisions, identifying financial risks, and developing  strategies to mitigate those risks.
  • Managing financial operations: This includes overseeing accounts payable  and accounts receivable processes, managing cash flow, and ensuring  compliance with financial regulations.
  • Developing financial policies and procedures: This includes developing  and implementing financial policies and procedures to ensure that financial  operations are efficient and effective.    

What are some of the skills a successful Finance Manager should have?    

A successful Finance Manager should have the following skills:  

  • Strong understanding of finance and accounting principles.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as strong  communication skills to effectively communicate financial information to  senior management and other stakeholders.
  • Strong leadership and management skills to effectively manage their team  and drive financial performance.
  • Ability to adapt to changing situations and work well under pressure.

📊 Salary breakdown

Finance Manager salary by location

  • All locations: $130K median ($105K–$155K typical range)
  • New York: $137K median, $112K–$158K range (+5% vs. national)
  • Seattle: $95K median, $95K–$105K range (-27% vs. national)
  • San Francisco: $171K median, $150K–$183K range (+32% vs. national)
  • Remote: $151K median, $130K–$162K range (+16% vs. national)
  • Chicago: $135K median, $115K–$157K range (+4% vs. national)
  • Los Angeles: $120K median, $110K–$138K range (-8% vs. national)
  • Boston: $138K median, $120K–$155K range (+6% vs. national)
  • Austin: $135K median, $126K–$142K range (+4% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

  • Rippling: $212K median
  • OpenAI: $207K median
  • Brex: $172K median
  • Notion: $169K median

New York

  • Brex: $172K median
  • Legora (formerly Leya): $172K median
  • FanDuel: $142K median
  • CoreWeave: $139K median
  • Curriculum and Implementation Specialist, Science: $130K median
  • NBCUniversal: $108K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

  • Health insurance: 74% of postings
  • Equity (RSU/options): 69% of postings
  • Flexible PTO: 58% of postings
  • Parental leave: 35% of postings
  • Learning/education budget: 13% of postings
  • Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 5–7 years.

Finance salaries by seniority

What does a Finance Manager do?

Finance Managers are finance and accounting professionals who own planning, reporting, and controls. This benchmark reflects Manager-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average Finance Manager salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $130K, with a typical range of $105K–$155K, based on 696 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does Finance Manager pay compare in San Francisco vs. remote?
San Francisco roles pay a median of $171K, while fully-remote roles pay $151K.

What is the Finance Manager salary in New York?
New York Finance Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $137K, with a typical range of $112K–$158K (25th–75th percentile). That's 5% above the $130K US national median. 20% below San Francisco's $171K. Based on 88 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Finance Manager salary in Seattle?
Seattle Finance Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $95K, with a typical range of $95K–$105K (25th–75th percentile). That's 27% below the $130K US national median. 44% below San Francisco's $171K. Based on 83 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Finance Manager salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco Finance Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $171K, with a typical range of $150K–$183K (25th–75th percentile). That's 32% above the $130K US national median. Based on 59 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 696 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed July 1, 2026.

Hiring Finance Managers? RFS recruiters specialize in Finance placements at AI-native and high-growth startups. Talk to an RFS recruiter →

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