Chief Executive salary in the U.S.
Chief Executives in the U.S. earn a median of $213,990 a year ($102.88 an hour), based on BLS data for 204,350 workers.
Pay ranges from $75,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $507,730 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $269,630, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chief executives in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $75,700 | $36.39 |
| 25th percentile | $129,540 | $62.28 |
| Median | $213,990 | $102.88 |
| 75th percentile | $356,200 | $171.25 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $507,730 | $244.10 |
| Average (mean) | $269,630 | $129.63 |
Half of chief executives earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $17,832.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $8,916.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $8,230.38 |
| Weekly | $4,115.19 |
| Hourly | $102.88 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chief Executive salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $341,630 | 910 |
| Washington | $339,810 | 3,170 |
| Illinois | $331,920 | 4,620 |
| North Carolina | $314,290 | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $310,740 | 4,870 |
| New Jersey | $310,440 | 2,430 |
| Connecticut | $295,120 | 1,660 |
| Hawaii | $281,640 | 470 |
| South Dakota | $280,900 | 510 |
| New York | $257,980 | 8,430 |
| Texas | $257,850 | 8,780 |
| Michigan | $255,560 | 4,950 |
| Indiana | $254,180 | 1,820 |
| Maryland | $248,660 | 3,180 |
| Rhode Island | $235,360 | 460 |
| Pennsylvania | $232,560 | 8,850 |
| California | $218,600 | 34,700 |
| Nebraska | $214,680 | 2,510 |
| Colorado | $213,370 | n/a |
| Iowa | $211,190 | 3,050 |
| Wisconsin | $208,350 | n/a |
| Georgia | $208,180 | 4,080 |
| Delaware | $199,990 | 390 |
| Tennessee | $198,830 | 4,700 |
| Minnesota | $195,670 | 6,740 |
| Montana | $182,340 | 670 |
| Kentucky | $179,530 | 2,070 |
| Idaho | $177,210 | 2,920 |
| Ohio | $176,440 | 4,470 |
| Vermont | $175,070 | 360 |
| Missouri | $172,320 | 2,550 |
| Utah | $171,880 | 3,140 |
| South Carolina | $168,840 | 1,740 |
| New Hampshire | $168,590 | n/a |
| Alaska | $166,710 | 640 |
| Alabama | $166,420 | 810 |
| North Dakota | $164,560 | 380 |
| Oklahoma | $163,790 | 2,390 |
| Kansas | $158,100 | 1,960 |
| West Virginia | $151,950 | 1,700 |
| Nevada | $149,770 | 1,370 |
| Wyoming | $147,940 | 60 |
| Mississippi | $139,250 | 310 |
| Maine | $138,770 | 1,580 |
| New Mexico | $123,500 | 100 |
| Arkansas | $119,990 | 3,550 |
| Virgin Islands | $104,010 | 130 |
| Puerto Rico | $97,510 | 2,690 |
Best-paying metro areas for chief executives
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Medford, OR | $615,500 | 40 |
| Midland, MI | $587,950 | 60 |
| Midland, TX | $389,330 | 100 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $388,060 | 480 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $381,330 | 140 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $375,810 | 690 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $370,000 | 2,060 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $354,310 | 160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $344,960 | 3,610 |
| Evansville, IN | $339,330 | 40 |
| Springfield, IL | $338,570 | 80 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $335,900 | 260 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $329,030 | 740 |
| Richmond, VA | $326,160 | 820 |
| Rockford, IL | $323,030 | 90 |
Metro areas with the most chief executives
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,800 | $234,290 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,180 | $301,440 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,190 | $288,690 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,500 | $209,980 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,120 | $292,770 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3,680 | $169,770 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,610 | $344,960 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,140 | $138,900 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,710 | $238,440 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,580 | $320,060 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,350 | $275,820 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 2,180 | $98,800 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,070 | $304,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,060 | $370,000 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,970 | $268,030 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $105,770 | $50.85 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 | $80.08 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,140 | $84.20 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 | $71.28 |
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | $68.22 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $123,860 | $59.55 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 | $80.19 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 | $55.28 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $105,870 | — |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Administrative Services Manager | $114,130 | $54.87 |
| Industrial Production Manager | $126,060 | $60.61 |
| Food Service Manager | $69,390 | $33.36 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $107,230 | $51.55 |
More: Management Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 11-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chief executive make in the U.S.?
The median salary for chief executives in the U.S. is $213,990 a year, or $102.88 an hour. Pay ranges from $75,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $507,730 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chief executives make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of chief executives in the U.S. earn at least $507,730 a year. The top 25% earn $356,200 or more.
What is the starting pay for chief executives in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $75,700 a year, and a quarter of chief executives earn $129,540 or less.
How many chief executives work in the U.S.?
About 204,350 chief executives are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.