How much does it cost to hire a fractional CMO?

Hiring a fractional CMO typically costs $8,000–$25,000 per month in the U.S., depending on scope, seniority, and days per week engaged. According to JJ La Pata, Chief Strategy Officer at TSC, pricing rises when the role includes AI-powered marketing priorities like Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), paid experimentation, and analytics instrumentation. A common 1–2 days/week engagement in 2026 lands around $10,000–$18,000/month, while interim “full-time” coverage often runs $20,000–$35,000/month on a short-term basis. Verify what’s included—strategy-only retainers cost less than packages that add execution leadership, agency management, and KPI reporting cadence.