Chief Executive salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
Chief Executives in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn a median of $207,170 a year ($99.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 980 workers.
Pay ranges from $80,430 for the lowest-paid 10% to $535,860 for the top 10%. That is 3% lower than the national median of $213,990. Pay here is 17% higher than the Ohio statewide median of $176,440. There are 0.89 chief executives per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.68). The average (mean) salary is $281,410, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chief executives in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $80,430 | $38.67 |
| 25th percentile | $129,840 | $62.42 |
| Median | $207,170 | $99.60 |
| 75th percentile | $371,760 | $178.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $535,860 | $257.62 |
| Average (mean) | $281,410 | $135.29 |
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 | $17,264.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $8,632.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $7,968.08 |
| Weekly | $3,984.04 |
| Hourly | $99.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chief Executive salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $344,960 | 3,610 |
| Evansville, IN | $339,330 | 40 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $261,280 | 60 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $256,320 | 870 |
| Bloomington, IN | $235,900 | 80 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $213,920 | 640 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $213,720 | 60 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $210,670 | 200 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $204,450 | 40 |
| Cleveland, OH | $199,350 | 980 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $179,520 | 270 |
| Akron, OH | $172,610 | 250 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $172,470 | 100 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $172,410 | 120 |
| Owensboro, KY | $171,540 | 50 |
| Toledo, OH | $168,830 | 180 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $164,080 | 80 |
| Columbus, OH | $162,910 | 1,160 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $161,760 | 270 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $158,670 | 40 |
| Lima, OH | $150,740 | 30 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $148,710 | 40 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $145,910 | 110 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $139,950 | 50 |
| Sandusky, OH | $120,030 | 30 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $109,730 | 150 |
Highest-paying states for chief executives
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $341,630 |
| Washington | $339,810 |
| Illinois | $331,920 |
| North Carolina | $314,290 |
| Virginia | $310,740 |
| New Jersey | $310,440 |
| Connecticut | $295,120 |
| Hawaii | $281,640 |
| South Dakota | $280,900 |
| New York | $257,980 |
See Chief Executive pay in every state or the Ohio statewide figures.
Related jobs in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $100,670 | $48.40 |
| Financial Manager | $152,700 | $73.41 |
| Sales Manager | $138,790 | $66.73 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $106,540 | $51.22 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $169,530 | $81.50 |
| Industrial Production Manager | $125,680 | $60.43 |
| Construction Manager | $104,710 | $50.34 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $177,160 | $85.17 |
| Marketing Manager | $145,770 | $70.08 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $103,020 | — |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $58,860 | $28.30 |
| Human Resources Manager | $132,070 | $63.49 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $106,160 | $51.04 |
| Administrative Services Manager | $103,860 | $49.93 |
More: Management Occupations · all salaries in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?
The median salary for chief executives in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area is $207,170 a year, or $99.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $80,430 for the lowest-paid 10% to $535,860 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chief executives make in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?
The top 10% of chief executives in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn at least $535,860 a year. The top 25% earn $371,760 or more.
What is the starting pay for chief executives in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $80,430 a year, and a quarter of chief executives earn $129,840 or less.
How many chief executives work in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN?
About 980 chief executives are employed in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.