Nonprofit RolesOperations director and COO salaries
Nonprofit operations director and COO salary in California
Half of nonprofit operations directors and COOs in California were paid more than $162,897 and half less, based on 1,668 orgs' filings from 2023 to 2025.
| Budget | Lower quarter | Median | Upper quarter | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All budgets | $117,626 | $162,897 | $231,776 | 1,668 |
| Under $500K | $23,872 | $49,200 | $75,000 | 77 |
| $500K to $1M | $70,481 | $96,535 | $110,906 | 50 |
| $1M to $5M | $102,979 | $125,251 | $156,990 | 399 |
| $5M to $25M | $126,830 | $160,487 | $204,854 | 647 |
| Over $25M | $191,819 | $252,717 | $371,153 | 495 |
How we get these numbers
Nonprofits file a Form 990 with the IRS each year. It lists pay for officers and top staff. We take each org's most recent filing and find the paid, full-time person in this role, by title: chief operating officer, COO, director of operations, or VP of operations, or similar. Deputies, assistants, interims, and people who hold two roles at once are left out.
Pay here is what the 990 reports as W-2 pay from the org and related orgs. It leaves out benefits and retirement. We only show a budget size when at least 10 orgs are in it.
Small nonprofits file a shorter form, or none, so they show up less here. 990s also lag by a year or two. Treat these numbers as a starting point, not a final answer.
The 990 lists staff other than the top executive only when they are officers or key employees, or among the five highest paid over $100,000. So for this role, the numbers lean toward larger orgs and higher pay.
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