Chief Executives vs Financial Managers

Outlook split: Financial Managers carries the faster 2024-2034 projection in this pair - BLS EP

Related titles around the faster-growth side

Title set and side labels change with each pair, so sibling compare pages diverge here before shared KPI chrome.

  1. 1. Administrative Services Managers · near Chief Executives
  2. 2. Advertising and Promotions Managers · near Chief Executives
  3. 3. Architectural and Engineering Managers · near Chief Executives
  4. 4. Compensation and Benefits Managers · near Chief Executives
  5. 5. Computer and Information Systems Managers · near Chief Executives

Core tasks on the faster-growth side of this pair

Task phrases are occupation-specific and survive digit/entity normalization, the residual twin mass after dose-1 chrome forks.

  • Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency. · Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011)
  • Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems. · Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011)
  • Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs. · Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011)
  • Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity. · Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011)
  • Establish procedures for custody or control of assets, records, loan collateral, or securities to ensure safekeeping. · Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031)
  • Establish and maintain relationships with individual or business customers or provide assistance with problems these customers may encounter. · Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031)
  • Communicate with stockholders or other investors to provide information or to raise capital. · Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031)
  • Oversee the flow of cash or financial instruments. · Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031)

Chief Executives · projected change

+4.3%

BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034

Financial Managers · projected change

+14.8%

BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034

Growth, not pay, leads this reading: a 10.5 point outlook split favors Financial Managers. Wage medians still matter, but they sit under the outlook cards on this page.

Geography before outlook stack

States with dual OEWS rows for Chief Executives and Financial Managers, listed A-Z (geography mass, not a shared pay-gap sort).

State Chief Executives Financial Managers Difference
Alabama $166,420 $140,500 +$25,920
Alaska $166,710 $127,030 +$39,680
Arkansas $119,990 $116,570 +$3,420
California $218,600 $180,770 +$37,830
Colorado $213,370 $182,690 +$30,680
Connecticut $295,120 $174,830 +$120,290
Delaware $199,990 $181,580 +$18,410
Georgia $208,180 $166,790 +$41,390
Hawaii $281,640 $134,210 +$147,430
Idaho $177,210 $127,210 +$50,000
Illinois $331,920 $165,880 +$166,040
Indiana $254,180 $135,840 +$118,340
Iowa $211,190 $133,320 +$77,870
Kansas $158,100 $159,380 $-1,280
Kentucky $179,530 $130,650 +$48,880
Maine $138,770 $133,610 +$5,160
Maryland $248,660 $158,750 +$89,910
Michigan $255,560 $139,370 +$116,190
Minnesota $195,670 $163,410 +$32,260
Mississippi $139,250 $111,390 +$27,860

Showing top 20 of 48 states.

Outlook stack: Financial Managers growth lead

Signal Chief Executives Financial Managers
EP 2024-2034 growth · Financial Managers lead +4.3% +14.8%
Annual openings · Financial Managers side 22,200 74,600
BLS typical education · Chief Executives Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree
Related experience · Financial Managers 5 years or more 5 years or more
OEWS median annual · Chief Executives $213,990 $166,570
OEWS total employment · 11-0000 204,350 841,710
OEWS mean annual · Financial Managers $269,630 $186,910
OEWS median hourly · Chief Executives $102.88/hr $80.08/hr
90th-percentile annual · Financial band $507,730 $323,270
10th-percentile annual · Chief band $75,700 $94,310

Also Compare

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025 release). Salary figures are annual medians and percentile bands published by BLS.

Which pays more, Chief Executives or Financial Managers?

Which pays more, Chief Executives or Financial Managers?
Chief Executives pays more, with a median annual salary of $213,990 compared to $166,570 - a difference of $47,420 per year.
Which has better job outlook?
Financial Managers has faster projected growth at 14.8% from 2024 to 2034, compared to 4.3% for Chief Executives.
How far apart are the 2024-2034 growth rates?
BLS Employment Projections put Financial Managers at +14.8% versus 10.5 points apart from the other side through 2034.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Related

Data sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. See our methodology for details. Source: BLS OEWS national median annual wages, percentiles, and employment totals.