LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking platforms, with over 810 million members worldwide as of October 2022. With a strong focus on careers and business, LinkedIn attracts professionals across all industries and job functions. One area that is widely represented on LinkedIn is strategy and business operations roles.
Strategy and business operations encompasses a wide range of job titles and responsibilities. Broadly speaking, these roles center around developing, planning, and implementing business strategies to help organizations achieve their goals. Some common strategy and operations job titles include Strategy Manager, Business Operations Manager, Management Consultant, Business Analyst, and more.
With LinkedIn’s vast member base, the platform provides a wealth of data on salaries for strategy and business operations roles. LinkedIn members have the option to list their current job titles and salaries, which enables analysis of average salaries by job title, experience level, location, and other factors. This data can give useful insight into typical earning potential in various strategy and operations careers.
Average LinkedIn Salaries for Strategy and Business Operations Roles
While salary ranges can vary significantly based on the specific role, years of experience, education level, company, industry, and geographic location, looking at average salaries on LinkedIn can provide a benchmark for earning potential.
Here are some examples of average base salaries for strategy and business operations job titles, according to LinkedIn salary data for the United States:
Job Title | Average Base Salary |
---|---|
Strategy Manager | $103,000 |
Business Strategy Manager | $122,000 |
Senior Business Strategy Manager | $153,000 |
Management Consultant | $92,000 |
Senior Management Consultant | $131,000 |
Business Operations Manager | $83,000 |
Senior Business Operations Manager | $113,000 |
Business Analyst | $67,000 |
Senior Business Analyst | $88,000 |
These averages provide a snapshot of base salaries, not including bonuses or other compensation. They demonstrate how salaries tend to progress with increasing seniority and experience.
Highest Paying Strategy and Operations Jobs on LinkedIn
While Management Consultant and Business Analyst positions tend to have lower average salaries, other strategy and operations roles can offer compensation into the mid-six figures.
Here are some of the highest paying LinkedIn jobs related to strategy and business operations:
- Chief Strategy Officer – $200,000+
- Vice President of Strategy – $230,000+
- Head of Strategy – $175,000+
- Strategy Director – $145,000+
- Principal Consultant – $165,000+
These advanced roles require years of progressive experience, but demonstrate the significant earning potential available for strategic leaders and experts.
Experience Level Impacts Salary
One of the biggest factors impacting salary is years of experience and increasing seniority in strategic roles. Here are some examples of how salaries tend to progress over an experienced professional’s career:
- Early Career/Entry Level Strategist: $55,000 – $75,000
- Mid-Career Strategist: $80,000 – $120,000
- Experienced Strategist: $120,000 – $180,000
- Executive/Senior Strategist: $180,000+
The range is wide, but in general, each step up in seniority and experience results in a significant boost in compensation. Strategists with 5-10 years experience tend to earn substantially more than early career strategists. The most lucrative strategic roles usually require 10-15+ years progressively responsible experience.
Location Impacts Salary
Where a strategy or operations professional works can impact their earning potential. For example, average salaries for strategic roles tend to be significantly higher in major metro areas, especially those with a high cost of living.
Here are some examples of how location impacts average salary for a Strategy Manager role:
- Houston, TX: $94,000
- Chicago, IL: $104,000
- New York, NY: $121,000
- San Francisco, CA: $142,000
- Washington, DC: $119,000
When comparing geographic salary differences, cost of living is an important factor to consider. While an absolute salary may be higher in San Francisco compared to Houston, for example, the higher cost of living in San Francisco reduces buying power. Various cost of living calculators can provide location-adjusted salary estimates.
Industry Salary Variations
Salaries can also vary across industries. Businesses in highly profitable industries or hot growth areas may offer higher compensation. Here are some industry examples of this salary variation:
- Oil & Energy Industry Strategy Manager: $125,000
- Investment Banking Strategy Manager: $140,000
- Tech Industry Senior Strategist: $165,000
- Retail Industry Management Consultant: $85,000
These differences underscore the importance of evaluating salaries in context of not just job titles, but specific industries and companies. The most lucrative salaries may require strategists to gain experience in high-paying fields.
Education Level Impacts
Higher levels of education tend to unlock higher earning potential. While practical experience is crucial, education credentials open doors to more advanced strategic roles.
Typical education requirements and average salaries by degree:
- Bachelors Degree: Business Analyst, Consultant ($65,000-$80,000)
- MBA or Masters: Senior Analyst, Senior Consultant ($90,000-$110,000)
- PhD: Strategy Manager, Principal ($120,000-$150,000+)
A combination of advanced degrees and experience is often required for the most senior level and highest paying strategic positions. Education can accelerate career advancement and salary growth.
Bonus and Equity Compensation
In addition to base salaries, many strategic roles include bonus opportunities and equity-based compensation. Bonuses are usually paid annually based on individual and company performance. Equity compensation provides stock options or grants to give strategists a share in the potential growth and value creation of the company.
For senior level positions at public companies or well-funded startups and growth companies, total compensation with bonuses and equity can exceed base salary significantly. For example, a Vice President of Strategy at a technology unicorn could earn $250,000 base salary, $100,000 annual bonus, and $400,000 in equity over 4 years. This results in $750,000 in annualized total compensation.
Understanding total compensation is key for strategists evaluating career options at different companies or in different industries where bonus and equity structures vary.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn provides transparency into a wide range of average salaries for strategy and business operations roles. Compensation varies based on job title, experience, education, location, industry, and specific company factors. With progressive experience and responsibility, strategic careers offer high earning potential, with the most senior roles offering total compensation up to the mid-six figures and beyond.
For professionals interested in strategy and business operations roles, LinkedIn provides rich data to benchmark salaries based on specific careers paths and trajectories. By understanding compensation data on LinkedIn and elsewhere, strategists can better navigate their career options and optimize their earning potential over time.