11 Series · SOC 11-1011

Chief Executives Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$213,990
Median / year
+3.7%
2024→2025
$507,730
Top 10% earn
+4.3%
Growth '24–'34
204,350
Estimated US jobs

Chief Executives earn a median of $213,990 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $213,990, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $75,700 (10th percentile) to $507,730 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 204,350 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Oregon ($341,630).

11 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Chief Executives earn a median of $213,990, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 97% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Management, it ranks #1 of 37 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% by 2034.

$213,990
Median annual wage
Top 3%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#1 of 37
in Management
6.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Oregon at $341,630. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Chief Executives moved from $184,460 in May 2019 to $213,990 in May 2025 (+16.0%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Chief Executives sits -8.4 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) has a national median of $213,990 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $75,700 to $507,730, and the published mean is $269,630. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 204,350 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 48 state or territory areas and 437 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $206,420 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $213,990 in May 2025, a rise of $7,570 (+3.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 22,200 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry and 5 years or more as the typical related-work-experience category. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Management Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Oregon pays the highest state median at $341,630, which is +60% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Medford, OR at $615,500. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 204,350 jobs Median $213,990/yr

Median Salary

$213,990

per year

Median Hourly

$102.88/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$269,630

average

Employment

204,350

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Chief Executives pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$213,990 Top 3% higher than 97% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Below this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). This entry sits in this band. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above (this entry) 25 US occupations 3%

$213,990 · 97th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 11-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Chief Executives; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 11-series occupations with growth data, Chief Executives sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $213,990 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $50000$100000$150000$200000$250000 -10%0%10%20%30% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage General and Operatio… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $105770Financial Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 14.8% · Median annual wage: $166570Computer and Informa… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15.2% · Median annual wage: $175140Sales Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.7% · Median annual wage: $148270Managers, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $141900Medical and Health S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 23.2% · Median annual wage: $123860Marketing Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.6% · Median annual wage: $166790Construction Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $114990Education Administra… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $105870Property, Real Estat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.6% · Median annual wage: $69990Administrative Servi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $114130Industrial Productio… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.9% · Median annual wage: $126060Food Service Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $69390Transportation, Stor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.1% · Median annual wage: $107230Human Resources Mana… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $149280Architectural and En… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $171270Social and Community… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $80390Chief Executives - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $213990Education Administra… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $104590Facilities Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $106660Natural Sciences Man… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $167220Purchasing Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $148080Public Relations Man… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $146910Education and Childc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.5% · Median annual wage: $59300
Among 24 11-series occupations with growth data, Chief Executives sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $213,990 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • General and Operatio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $105770
  • Financial Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.8%, Median annual wage $166570
  • Computer and Informa…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.2%, Median annual wage $175140
  • Sales Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.7%, Median annual wage $148270
  • Managers, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $141900
  • Medical and Health S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 23.2%, Median annual wage $123860
  • Marketing Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.6%, Median annual wage $166790
  • Construction Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $114990
  • Education Administra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $105870
  • Property, Real Estat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $69990
  • Administrative Servi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $114130
  • Industrial Productio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.9%, Median annual wage $126060
  • Food Service Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $69390
  • Transportation, Stor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $107230
  • Human Resources Mana…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $149280
  • Architectural and En…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $171270
  • Social and Community…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $80390
  • Chief Executives: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $213990
  • Education Administra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $104590
  • Facilities Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $106660
  • Natural Sciences Man…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $167220
  • Purchasing Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $148080
  • Public Relations Man…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $146910
  • Education and Childc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.5%, Median annual wage $59300

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.3%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

22,200

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+13,300

309,400 (2024) → 322,700 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

5 years or more

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Management Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

2.8/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

4.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Chief Executives roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Judgment and Decision Making 4.8
Critical Thinking 4.4
Complex Problem Solving 4.4
Speaking 4.3
Coordination 4.3
Systems Evaluation 4.3
Management of Financial Resources 4.3
Management of Personnel Resources 4.3
Reading Comprehension 4.1
Writing 4.1

Knowledge Areas

Administration and Management 4.8
Personnel and Human Resources 4.5
English Language 4.4
Customer and Personal Service 4.4
Economics and Accounting 4.0
Public Safety and Security 3.9
Computers and Electronics 3.8
Sales and Marketing 3.8
Mathematics 3.6
Education and Training 3.5

Key Tasks

  • Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
  • Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
  • 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.
  • Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
  • Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
  • Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  • Direct human resources activities, including the approval of human resource plans or activities, the selection of directors or other high-level staff, or establishment or organization of major departments.
  • Appoint department heads or managers and assign or delegate responsibilities to them.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$75,700
25th$129,540
Median$213,990
75th$356,200
90th$507,730

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$36.39
25th$62.28
Median$102.88
75th$171.25
90th$244.10

Chief Executives pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$170,000$180,000$190,000$200,000$210,000$220,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $175,110National median - 2016: $181,210National median - 2017: $183,270National median - 2018: $189,600National median - 2019: $184,460National median - 2020: $185,950National median - 2021: $179,520National median - 2022: $189,520National median - 2023: $206,680National median - 2024: $206,420National median - 2025: $213,990$213,990
National median annual wage for Chief Executives, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $175,110
2016 $181,210
2017 $183,270
2018 $189,600
2019 $184,460
2020 $185,950
2021 $179,520
2022 $189,520
2023 $206,680
2024 $206,420
2025 $213,990

2015 median

$175,110

2025 median

$213,990

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$29,530 (+16%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+2.5%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Chief Executives by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $175,110 First banked release 238,940
May 2016 $181,210 +3.5% 223,260
May 2017 $183,270 +1.1% 210,160
May 2018 $189,600 +3.5% 195,530
May 2019 $184,460 Classification break 205,890
May 2020 $185,950 +0.8% 202,360
May 2021 $179,520 -3.5% 200,480
May 2022 $189,520 +5.6% 199,240
May 2023 $206,680 +9.1% 211,230
May 2024 $206,420 -0.1% 211,850
May 2025 $213,990 +3.7% 204,350

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $175,110 in May 2015 to $213,990 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.5% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 205,890 in May 2019 to 204,350 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 48 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Oregon $341,630 +60% above national
2 Washington $339,810 +59% above national
3 Illinois $331,920 +55% above national
4 North Carolina $314,290 +47% above national
5 Virginia $310,740 +45% above national
6 New Jersey $310,440 +45% above national
7 Connecticut $295,120 +38% above national
8 Hawaii $281,640 +32% above national
9 South Dakota $280,900 +31% above national
10 New York $257,980 +21% above national
11 Texas $257,850 +20% above national
12 Michigan $255,560 +19% above national
13 Indiana $254,180 +19% above national
14 Maryland $248,660 +16% above national
15 Rhode Island $235,360 +10% above national
16 Pennsylvania $232,560 +9% above national
17 California $218,600 +2% above national
18 Nebraska $214,680 same as national
19 Colorado $213,370 same as national
20 Iowa $211,190 1% below national
21 Wisconsin $208,350 3% below national
22 Georgia $208,180 3% below national
23 Delaware $199,990 7% below national
24 Tennessee $198,830 7% below national
25 Minnesota $195,670 9% below national
26 Montana $182,340 15% below national
27 Kentucky $179,530 16% below national
28 Idaho $177,210 17% below national
29 Ohio $176,440 18% below national
30 Vermont $175,070 18% below national
31 Missouri $172,320 19% below national
32 Utah $171,880 20% below national
33 South Carolina $168,840 21% below national
34 New Hampshire $168,590 21% below national
35 Alaska $166,710 22% below national
36 Alabama $166,420 22% below national
37 North Dakota $164,560 23% below national
38 Oklahoma $163,790 23% below national
39 Kansas $158,100 26% below national
40 West Virginia $151,950 29% below national
41 Nevada $149,770 30% below national
42 Wyoming $147,940 31% below national
43 Mississippi $139,250 35% below national
44 Maine $138,770 35% below national
45 New Mexico $123,500 42% below national
46 Arkansas $119,990 44% below national
47 Virgin Islands $104,010 51% below national
48 Puerto Rico $97,510 54% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 317 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Medford, OR $615,500 +188% above national
2 Midland, MI $587,950 +175% above national
3 Midland, TX $389,330 +82% above national
4 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $388,060 +81% above national
5 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $381,330 +78% above national
6 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $375,810 +76% above national
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $370,000 +73% above national
8 Greensboro-High Point, NC $354,310 +66% above national
9 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $344,960 +61% above national
10 Evansville, IN $339,330 +59% above national
11 Springfield, IL $338,570 +58% above national
12 Ann Arbor, MI $335,900 +57% above national
13 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $329,030 +54% above national
14 Richmond, VA $326,160 +52% above national
15 Rockford, IL $323,030 +51% above national
16 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $320,060 +50% above national
17 Charlottesville, VA $317,900 +49% above national
18 Urban Honolulu, HI $315,920 +48% above national
19 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $312,730 +46% above national
20 New Haven, CT $311,110 +45% above national
21 Champaign-Urbana, IL $310,740 +45% above national
22 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $304,110 +42% above national
23 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $301,440 +41% above national
24 Rapid City, SD $301,420 +41% above national
25 Wilmington, NC $298,730 +40% above national
26 Jackson, MI $298,440 +39% above national
27 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $297,350 +39% above national
28 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $292,770 +37% above national
29 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $290,870 +36% above national
30 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $288,690 +35% above national
31 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $288,150 +35% above national
32 Kennewick-Richland, WA $287,180 +34% above national
33 Raleigh-Cary, NC $286,050 +34% above national
34 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $285,300 +33% above national
35 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $282,170 +32% above national
36 Odessa, TX $281,480 +32% above national
37 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $279,080 +30% above national
38 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $276,970 +29% above national
39 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $275,820 +29% above national
40 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $275,270 +29% above national
41 Eugene-Springfield, OR $274,520 +28% above national
42 Winston-Salem, NC $273,710 +28% above national
43 Asheville, NC $270,520 +26% above national
44 Peoria, IL $270,090 +26% above national
45 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $268,090 +25% above national
46 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $268,030 +25% above national
47 Harrisonburg, VA $264,970 +24% above national
48 Salem, OR $261,650 +22% above national
49 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $261,280 +22% above national
50 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $260,940 +22% above national
51 Lexington Park, MD $260,050 +22% above national
52 Roanoke, VA $258,310 +21% above national
53 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $256,610 +20% above national
54 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $256,320 +20% above national
55 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $254,180 +19% above national
56 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $251,520 +18% above national
57 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $250,670 +17% above national
58 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $248,810 +16% above national
59 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $248,660 +16% above national
60 Traverse City, MI $248,510 +16% above national
61 Bay City, MI $247,680 +16% above national
62 Monroe, MI $244,760 +14% above national
63 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $243,620 +14% above national
64 Dalton, GA $242,760 +13% above national
65 Napa, CA $241,590 +13% above national
66 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $239,990 +12% above national
67 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $238,440 +11% above national
68 Gainesville, FL $238,200 +11% above national
69 Yakima, WA $238,180 +11% above national
70 Tyler, TX $237,880 +11% above national
71 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $237,600 +11% above national
72 Rochester, NY $237,180 +11% above national
73 Bellingham, WA $236,930 +11% above national
74 Bloomington, IN $235,900 +10% above national
75 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $234,290 +9% above national
76 Williamsport, PA $233,920 +9% above national
77 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $233,760 +9% above national
78 Reading, PA $229,740 +7% above national
79 Corpus Christi, TX $229,340 +7% above national
80 Omaha, NE-IA $228,220 +7% above national
81 Billings, MT $227,000 +6% above national
82 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $226,720 +6% above national
83 Salinas, CA $226,270 +6% above national
84 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $225,760 +6% above national
85 Jacksonville, FL $225,410 +5% above national
86 Lancaster, PA $224,160 +5% above national
87 Colorado Springs, CO $223,990 +5% above national
88 Green Bay, WI $222,320 +4% above national
89 Kansas City, MO-KS $221,640 +4% above national
90 Winchester, VA-WV $221,620 +4% above national
91 Killeen-Temple, TX $220,940 +3% above national
92 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $220,590 +3% above national
93 El Paso, TX $220,050 +3% above national
94 Lynchburg, VA $219,400 +3% above national
95 Janesville-Beloit, WI $218,840 +2% above national
96 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $218,690 +2% above national
97 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $218,190 +2% above national
98 Great Falls, MT $217,910 +2% above national
99 Lincoln, NE $217,780 +2% above national
100 York-Hanover, PA $217,730 +2% above national
101 Waco, TX $217,610 +2% above national
102 Madison, WI $217,010 +1% above national
103 Syracuse, NY $216,610 +1% above national
104 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $216,530 +1% above national
105 Boulder, CO $216,400 +1% above national
106 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $216,240 +1% above national
107 Pittsburgh, PA $216,060 +1% above national
108 Kenosha, WI $215,930 +1% above national
109 Stockton-Lodi, CA $214,340 same as national
110 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $213,920 same as national
111 Lebanon, PA $213,830 same as national
112 Fort Wayne, IN $213,720 same as national
113 Huntsville, AL $213,530 same as national
114 Dubuque, IA $212,880 1% below national
115 Decatur, IL $212,400 1% below national
116 Battle Creek, MI $211,560 1% below national
117 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $210,790 1% below national
118 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $210,760 2% below national
119 Greeley, CO $210,700 2% below national
120 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $210,670 2% below national
121 Niles, MI $210,620 2% below national
122 Chattanooga, TN-GA $209,990 2% below national
123 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $209,980 2% below national
124 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $209,140 2% below national
125 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $209,080 2% below national
126 Yuba City, CA $209,060 2% below national
127 Amarillo, TX $208,170 3% below national
128 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $208,030 3% below national
129 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $207,170 3% below national
130 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $207,100 3% below national
131 Ames, IA $206,090 4% below national
132 Longview, TX $205,770 4% below national
133 Chambersburg, PA $205,570 4% below national
134 Iowa City, IA $205,340 4% below national
135 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $205,030 4% below national
136 Eau Claire, WI $204,710 4% below national
137 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $204,450 4% below national
138 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $204,190 5% below national
139 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $204,040 5% below national
140 State College, PA $203,960 5% below national
141 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $203,220 5% below national
142 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $202,990 5% below national
143 St. Louis, MO-IL $202,840 5% below national
144 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $202,750 5% below national
145 Wausau, WI $202,460 5% below national
146 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $202,190 6% below national
147 Fond du Lac, WI $201,720 6% below national
148 Appleton, WI $201,300 6% below national
149 Jackson, TN $201,090 6% below national
150 Sherman-Denison, TX $200,920 6% below national
151 Modesto, CA $200,900 6% below national
152 Saginaw, MI $200,190 6% below national
153 Bozeman, MT $199,920 7% below national
154 Kingston, NY $199,860 7% below national
155 Cleveland, OH $199,350 7% below national
156 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $199,010 7% below national
157 Wichita, KS $198,910 7% below national
158 Knoxville, TN $198,890 7% below national
159 Utica-Rome, NY $197,880 8% below national
160 Savannah, GA $197,840 8% below national
161 Flint, MI $197,790 8% below national
162 Spartanburg, SC $197,540 8% below national
163 Altoona, PA $197,360 8% below national
164 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $197,220 8% below national
165 Manchester-Nashua, NH $196,990 8% below national
166 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $196,680 8% below national
167 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $195,650 9% below national
168 Johnson City, TN $195,450 9% below national
169 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $195,400 9% below national
170 Sheboygan, WI $195,040 9% below national
171 Rochester, MN $194,700 9% below national
172 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $194,350 9% below national
173 Elmira, NY $192,530 10% below national
174 Glens Falls, NY $192,520 10% below national
175 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $191,360 11% below national
176 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $190,650 11% below national
177 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $190,480 11% below national
178 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $190,400 11% below national
179 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $190,020 11% below national
180 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $189,410 11% below national
181 Fresno, CA $188,930 12% below national
182 Fargo, ND-MN $188,510 12% below national
183 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $186,440 13% below national
184 Tucson, AZ $185,100 14% below national
185 St. Cloud, MN $184,610 14% below national
186 Binghamton, NY $184,360 14% below national
187 Anchorage, AK $183,110 14% below national
188 Twin Falls, ID $182,470 15% below national
189 Cedar Rapids, IA $182,210 15% below national
190 Merced, CA $181,660 15% below national
191 Gettysburg, PA $180,910 15% below national
192 Pocatello, ID $180,280 16% below national
193 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $180,240 16% below national
194 Vallejo, CA $180,180 16% below national
195 Oklahoma City, OK $179,990 16% below national
196 Springfield, MO $179,910 16% below national
197 Lexington-Fayette, KY $179,520 16% below national
198 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $179,360 16% below national
199 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $178,860 16% below national
200 El Centro, CA $177,950 17% below national
201 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $177,090 17% below national
202 Columbia, SC $176,890 17% below national
203 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $176,890 17% below national
204 Bismarck, ND $176,820 17% below national
205 Chico, CA $176,750 17% below national
206 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $176,700 17% below national
207 Bangor, ME $176,370 18% below national
208 College Station-Bryan, TX $176,160 18% below national
209 Lewiston, ID-WA $176,030 18% below national
210 Portland-South Portland, ME $176,000 18% below national
211 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $175,070 18% below national
212 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $174,980 18% below national
213 Idaho Falls, ID $174,410 18% below national
214 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $174,230 19% below national
215 Lubbock, TX $174,120 19% below national
216 Helena, MT $173,880 19% below national
217 Grand Island, NE $173,690 19% below national
218 Morgantown, WV $172,990 19% below national
219 Boise City, ID $172,780 19% below national
220 Akron, OH $172,610 19% below national
221 Wheeling, WV-OH $172,470 19% below national
222 Clarksville, TN-KY $172,410 19% below national
223 Coeur d'Alene, ID $171,590 20% below national
224 Owensboro, KY $171,540 20% below national
225 Mankato, MN $171,460 20% below national
226 Mobile, AL $171,130 20% below national
227 Grand Forks, ND-MN $171,120 20% below national
228 Redding, CA $170,770 20% below national
229 Erie, PA $170,340 20% below national
230 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $169,770 21% below national
231 Columbus, GA-AL $169,630 21% below national
232 Toledo, OH $168,830 21% below national
233 Missoula, MT $168,200 21% below national
234 Birmingham, AL $167,080 22% below national
235 Morristown, TN $166,650 22% below national
236 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $166,420 22% below national
237 Abilene, TX $165,770 23% below national
238 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $165,770 23% below national
239 Ogden, UT $165,740 23% below national
240 Tuscaloosa, AL $164,810 23% below national
241 Lawrence, KS $164,800 23% below national
242 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $164,770 23% below national
243 Athens-Clarke County, GA $164,460 23% below national
244 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $164,410 23% below national
245 Bowling Green, KY $164,080 23% below national
246 Wichita Falls, TX $163,170 24% below national
247 Columbus, OH $162,910 24% below national
248 Tulsa, OK $162,260 24% below national
249 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $161,760 24% below national
250 Charleston, WV $161,540 25% below national
251 Texarkana, TX-AR $161,180 25% below national
252 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $160,950 25% below national
253 Florence, SC $160,660 25% below national
254 Columbia, MO $159,890 25% below national
255 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $159,120 26% below national
256 Elizabethtown, KY $158,670 26% below national
257 Duluth, MN-WI $158,260 26% below national
258 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $157,500 26% below national
259 Montgomery, AL $155,700 27% below national
260 Visalia, CA $155,510 27% below national
261 Johnstown, PA $153,570 28% below national
262 Punta Gorda, FL $151,230 29% below national
263 Fairbanks-College, AK $150,930 29% below national
264 Lima, OH $150,740 30% below national
265 Jackson, MS $149,490 30% below national
266 Paducah, KY-IL $148,710 31% below national
267 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $146,670 31% below national
268 Canton-Massillon, OH $145,910 32% below national
269 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $144,980 32% below national
270 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $142,390 33% below national
271 Yuma, AZ $141,100 34% below national
272 Cleveland, TN $140,930 34% below national
273 Topeka, KS $140,330 34% below national
274 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $139,950 35% below national
275 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $138,900 35% below national
276 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $138,560 35% below national
277 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $138,440 35% below national
278 Manhattan, KS $138,290 35% below national
279 Lawton, OK $137,500 36% below national
280 Logan, UT-ID $136,720 36% below national
281 Minot, ND $135,870 37% below national
282 Joplin, MO-KS $134,670 37% below national
283 Lafayette, LA $134,660 37% below national
284 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $134,640 37% below national
285 Flagstaff, AZ $134,510 37% below national
286 Valdosta, GA $133,570 38% below national
287 St. Joseph, MO-KS $131,540 39% below national
288 Ocala, FL $131,440 39% below national
289 Beckley, WV $131,040 39% below national
290 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $130,000 39% below national
291 Homosassa Springs, FL $129,850 39% below national
292 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $129,490 39% below national
293 Port St. Lucie, FL $127,100 41% below national
294 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $125,460 41% below national
295 Carson City, NV $125,280 41% below national
296 Alexandria, LA $125,270 41% below national
297 Reno, NV $124,300 42% below national
298 St. George, UT $124,280 42% below national
299 Albuquerque, NM $123,500 42% below national
300 Macon-Bibb County, GA $123,170 42% below national
301 Monroe, LA $123,090 42% below national
302 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $122,670 43% below national
303 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $120,900 44% below national
304 Sandusky, OH $120,030 44% below national
305 Jonesboro, AR $120,020 44% below national
306 Hot Springs, AR $119,990 44% below national
307 Fort Smith, AR-OK $114,550 46% below national
308 Jefferson City, MO $113,090 47% below national
309 Youngstown-Warren, OH $109,730 49% below national
310 Lake Charles, LA $108,200 49% below national
311 Rome, GA $106,740 50% below national
312 Sebring, FL $100,430 53% below national
313 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $98,800 54% below national
314 Mayaguez, PR $90,220 58% below national
315 Arecibo, PR $86,270 60% below national
316 Aguadilla, PR $86,100 60% below national
317 Ponce, PR $81,730 62% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 11 (Management Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 36 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Management Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($213,990 here) and reported employment (204,350 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Chief Executives make?
The median annual salary for Chief Executives is $213,990 ($102.88/hour). The salary range spans from $75,700 at the 10th percentile to $507,730 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Chief Executives pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $213,990, Chief Executives pay is higher than 97% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Chief Executives the most?
Oregon pays the highest median salary for Chief Executives at $341,630/year, which is +60% above the national median.
What education do Chief Executives need?
BLS assigns Chief Executives to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry. Its typical related-work-experience assignment is 5 years or more.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Chief Executives?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Chief Executives in this release. WageDex shows the Management Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Chief Executives a good career?
Employment for Chief Executives is projected to grow 4.3% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 22,200 openings are projected each year.
How does Chief Executives pay vary by state?
Chief Executives salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Oregon at $341,630/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $97,510/year. BLS data covers 48 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Chief Executives?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Medford, OR at $615,500/year. BLS reports a median for 317 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Chief Executives pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $356,200/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Oregon leads at $341,630/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.