Full-time CMO or fractional CMO? See the first-year cost side by side.
A full-time CMO costs more than a salary. Benefits, bonus, recruiting fees and the months the seat sits empty all count. Enter your own numbers to see the real first-year cost of each option.
Your numbers
Every number is yours to change. The defaults are only a starting point, not our pricing.
First 12 months
Cost is half the decision. The other half is fit. A fractional CMO brings a system and senior judgment on day one, and you can scale up or down as you grow.
Find out what you actually needHow the calculator works.
The full-time figure adds salary, benefits and taxes, and bonus or equity for the months the CMO is actually in the seat, plus the recruiting fee. The fractional figure is twelve months of the monthly investment you were quoted. Nothing is hidden and nothing is stored.
When a full-time CMO is the better choice.
If marketing is large enough to need a leader every day, with a team of many people and a budget that justifies an executive, hire full time. A fractional CMO is often the best way to get there: building the system, the team and the case for the role before you make the hire.
Frequently asked questions.
How much does a fractional CMO cost compared to a full-time CMO?
A fractional CMO usually costs a fraction of a full-time CMO's all-in first-year cost, because you pay for the time and scope you need with no benefits, bonus, recruiting fee or empty-seat months. Use the calculator with your own numbers to see the difference.
What does a full-time CMO really cost?
Add base salary, benefits and payroll taxes, bonus or equity, a recruiting fee, and the cost of the months the seat stays empty while you hire. The total is usually well above the salary alone.
Where to next.
Start with your free Marketing Impact score.
It takes a few minutes. You get a score from 1 to 5 on each of the seven dimensions of your marketing and see where to start. If you’d rather talk first, book a 15-minute call.