Comparing traditional retained search, fractional, internal promotion, and interim executives across cost, timeline, and retention.
Retained search fee (median)
31%
Fractional cost premium
-88%
Retention (2-yr, retained)
78%
Retention (internal promo)
84%
Executive Summary
Executive hiring is not one market — it is four. Retained search, fractional engagements, internal promotion, and interim placement each deliver executive capacity, but at radically different price, timeline, and retention outcomes. [1]
This benchmark compares the four paths against a normalized CFO hiring scenario at a Series B US venture-backed company.
Contents
Section 01
| Path | Year-one cost | Time to seated | 2-yr retention | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retained search | $829,000 | 128 days | 78% | Permanent hire with governance signaling |
| Fractional | $102,000 | 11 days | n/a (retained) | Ongoing leadership at 1 day/week |
| Internal promotion | $385,000 | 38 days | 84% | When controller has CFO capability |
| Interim (search firm) | $285,000 | 47 days | n/a (bridge) | Bridge between departure and search |
Section 02
Figure · Bar chart
USD, thousands
Source · STANDARD Research, 2026. [1]
Methodology
Data sources
Sample size
1,140 executive hires, 412 fractional engagements
Collection period
September 2025 – February 2026
Limitations
Definitions
FAQs
Citations