CFO cost comparison calculator
Put real numbers next to the full-time CFO, fractional CFO, and Sorso options for a clinic at your revenue level. Loaded cost ranges are indicative planning figures, not a published benchmark rather than recruiter anecdotes, so the comparison is defensible when it gets to a partner conversation.
The point of this calculator is not to argue that fractional is always cheaper. It is to put real numbers next to a decision that most clinic owners make based on a salary estimate they got from a friend or a recruiter.
Inputs
Tell us your revenue
$5,000,000
How we cost the options. Full-time CFO cost is the BLS median pay for chief executives in health care and social assistance ($197,090, May 2025) plus benefits at the rate BLS measures for management staff: about $242,000, a Sorso estimate before any bonus or search fee. The fractional range is what fractional CFO firm The Good CFO says most engagements are quoted at. Sorso pricing is our starting price, per the note below.
Annual savings vs full-time CFO
Sorso Fractional CFO: from $4,000/mo
Annual cost by model
Full-time CFO (median pay plus benefits)
BLS median $197,090 + benefits (Sorso estimate), before bonus
$242K
Fractional CFO (market)
$3K-$10K/mo for most engagements, per The Good CFO
$36K - $120K
Sorso Fractional CFO
Starting at $4,000/mo
from $48K
How Sorso is priced
Sorso Fractional CFO engagements start at $4,000/mo. Final pricing depends on clinic size, location count, and scope. Sorso also offers Accounting on its own starting at $2,000/mo for clinics that need clean healthcare-specialty books without the full CFO layer.
Book a 30-minute call with Stan for a custom quote.
Estimate only. Based on BLS pay data and published fractional rates. Actual costs depend on practice complexity, scope, and vendor engagement rates. Consult vendors directly for current pricing.
What it considers
Where the cost numbers come from
- →Full-time salary. BLS counts CFOs among chief executives. Their median pay in health care and social assistance was $197,090 a year in May 2025 ($213,990 across all industries), before bonuses.
- →Benefits. BLS employer-cost data for management, business and financial staff put insurance, retirement and legally required benefits at about 22.6% on top of pay. On the healthcare median that is about $242,000 a year, a Sorso estimate.
- →Fractional CFO range. No association or survey publishes fractional CFO fees. Fractional CFO firm The Good CFO says most engagements are quoted at $3,000 to $10,000 a month, or $36K to $120K a year.
- →Sorso price. Sorso's fractional CFO service starts at $4,000 a month. The final price depends on clinic size, number of locations and scope, so treat the Sorso line as a floor.
What it does not consider
Where the comparison gets more nuanced
- ×Recruiting and ramp cost. A full-time CFO hire involves recruiting costs and a ramp before the new hire is productive. Neither is in the headline cost number, but both are real.
- ×Equity or carry. Some full-time CFO roles include equity or carry, which is not in the benefits estimate. For owners considering a sale, a CFO equity grant becomes a real transaction cost at exit.
- ×Healthcare expertise premium. BLS medians do not separate CFOs who know payer mix, compliance and revenue cycle from those who don't. A candidate with that background can cost more than the median suggests.
- ×Hours flex value. A fractional CFO can scale up during M&A or expansion and down during steady state. A full-time CFO is a fixed cost regardless of workload, which can either be a feature or a bug depending on the year.
When each model wins
The honest version of the decision
Cost is the easy part. Fit is the hard part. Here is the framing we use with prospects.
Fractional wins
Most clinics under $20M in revenue. You get senior finance leadership at 20 to 40 percent of the loaded cost of a full-time hire. Fractional CFOs pattern-match across multiple outpatient clinics, which is exactly the comparative lens most single-practice CFOs lack.
Full-time wins
Above $20M in revenue, multiple entities, active M&A, or daily treasury management. At that level the volume of daily decisions justifies a full-time seat and the cost gap shrinks relative to the strategic complexity.
Hybrid wins
Some growing clinics use a fractional CFO for 18 to 24 months while building toward a full-time hire. The fractional team helps recruit, onboard, and hand off, then transitions to advisory. Common path for clinics growing through $15M to $25M.
FAQ
Common questions about CFO cost
Why is the loaded cost of a full-time CFO so much higher than the base salary?
Because salary is only part of what an employer pays. BLS puts the median pay of chief executives in health care and social assistance, the category that includes CFOs, at $197,090 a year (May 2025), and BLS wage figures leave out bonuses. BLS employer-cost data for management, business and financial staff show insurance, retirement and legally required benefits adding about 22.6% on top of pay, which takes that median to about $242,000 (Sorso estimate: $197,090 × 1.226). A bonus, equity and a search fee in year one come on top of that. Price your own market and run the components rather than trusting a single figure.
What does a fractional CFO actually do day to day?
Strategic finance work, not bookkeeping. A typical week includes reviewing month-end financials, running scenario models on hiring or expansion decisions, joining a leadership meeting or partner call, working with the controller on KPI accuracy, and preparing materials for the next board or partner review. Hours flex with the calendar. Month-end close requires more attention; mid-month is lighter.
When does it make sense to move from fractional to full-time CFO?
Three triggers: revenue above roughly $20M, multiple legal entities with intercompany transactions, or active M&A where you genuinely need a daily presence. Below those thresholds, the fractional model usually wins on cost and pattern recognition. This is the natural handoff path when a clinic crosses the scale threshold.
Why does Sorso have multiple price points instead of one rate?
Different clinics need different things. A $2M practice with clean books and a focused product needs less time than a $15M multi-location group with active expansion. Pricing tiers exist so a $3M clinic does not subsidize a $25M clinic and vice versa. The calculator uses the starting price, $4,000 a month; the final price depends on clinic size, number of locations and scope.
Does fractional CFO replace my CPA or my bookkeeper?
No. A fractional CFO works alongside both. The bookkeeper or accounting firm produces the monthly close. The CPA handles tax filing and entity-level tax strategy. The fractional CFO uses the closed books to set forecasts, recommend pricing changes, model expansions, and prepare for capital events. Three different jobs, three different skill sets.
Want the honest fit answer?
Book a free 30-minute scoping call with Stan
We will look at your numbers and tell you whether you should hire fractional, hire full-time, or do nothing for another six months. No pitch.