Chief Administrative Officer compensation reflects the breadth of operational responsibility. According to [PayScale](https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Chief_Administrative_Officer_(CAO)/Salary), the average CAO salary is **£75,000** with a range of **£33,000 to £120,000**. [Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/chief-administrative-officer-salary-SRCH_KO0,28.htm) reports **£77,065** average.

Experience significantly impacts CAO compensation, with PayScale showing £90,851 for 10-19 years experience. The related [COO role](https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Chief_Operating_Officer_(COO)/Salary) averages **£97,954** with a range of £51,000-£158,000.

[Intelligent People](https://www.intelligentpeople.co.uk/chief-operations-officer-salary-uk/) reports senior COO salaries of **£120,000 to £300,000** for established organisations.

While often used interchangeably, CAO and COO have distinct focuses:

**Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)**: - Focus on administrative infrastructure - Oversees HR, facilities, legal, compliance - Internal operations and efficiency - Typical salary: £75,000-£120,000

**Chief Operating Officer (COO)**: - Focus on core business operations - Oversees production, delivery, customer operations - External-facing operational excellence - Typical salary: £97,000-£300,000

Larger organisations may have both roles, while smaller companies combine them.

Fractional CAO arrangements offer compelling economics:

**Cost comparison (1 day per week)**: - Fractional CAO: £500-£800/day × 52 weeks = **£26,000-£41,600/year** - Full-time CAO: £85,000 salary + 30% benefits = **£110,500/year** - **Savings: £70,000+ annually**

Fractional CAOs deliver operational efficiency reviews, process optimisation, administrative restructuring, and infrastructure development without full-time overhead.