Research Summary. Using a combination of public government and company data as well as data gathered from thousands of job postings, the Zippia data team has created average salary estimates for jobs across the US. Using that data set, the team has identified the types of vice presidents that are the highest paid based on their average annual salaries.
Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of vice presidents:
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Executive Vice President is the highest-paid type of vice president with an average salary of $216,285 and an average hourly rate of $103.98.
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The second highest-paying type of vice president is senior vice president, with an average salary of $194,770.
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The average vice president salary is $158,637 per year, and the average hourly pay is $76.27.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be difficult, and while pay shouldn’t be the only thing you consider in your decision, it is a significant factor. So if you’d like to work as a vice president, it helps to have an idea of what the highest-paid types of vice presidents are so that you can plan your career progression.
Here are the top salaries for different types of vice presidents:
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Executive Vice President
Average Salary: $216,285
An executive vice president is responsible for monitoring departmental operations, managing customer relationships, developing the company’s strategic goals, and identifying business opportunities that would maximize the company’s performance, drive revenues, and achieve the business’s profitability goals. Executive vice presidents contribute to sales innovations, negotiate business contracts, analyze financial reports, and minimize the company’s expenses without compromising high-quality operations and customer satisfaction. An executive vice president must have excellent leadership and communication skills to support its daily operations to achieve its long-term goals and objectives.
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Senior Vice President
Average Salary: $194,770
A Senior Vice President’s responsibilities vary according to the company or organization. Still, it mostly revolves around overseeing and leading a particular department’s activities and operations, reporting to the president and the board, evaluating the progress and performances of teams and employees, and maintaining constant communication with staff and management. Furthermore, A Senior Vice President is also involved in forming strategies that would benefit the sales of the company, seek innovative options, review documents, and ensure that the operations are up to the standards of the company’s policies and regulations.
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Senior Vice President-Operations
Average Salary: $192,068
Senior Vice Presidents for Operations are top management employees who oversee the company’s operations. They report to the company’s Chief Executive Officer or roles equivalent to such. They are expected to be very familiar with everything related to the company, such as its products, services, and production activities, among others. As such, they would be able to create strategies that would elevate the performance of the company. They are heavily involved in the decision-making related to the different departments in operations. Senior Vice Presidents for Operations manage different departments related to operations. They ensure that all factors in operations contribute to the company’s success.
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Vice President & General Manager
Average Salary: $172,487
A vice president and general manager’s role is to implement policies and regulations while overseeing the business operations. Typically, it is their primary responsibility to devise training programs that would produce more efficient workforce members, create new strategies to boost sales and customer satisfaction, and participate in budget and goals creation. They mainly report to high-ranking officials such as the president and board members. Furthermore, a vice president and general manager may perform clerical tasks such as preparing progress reports and presentations, managing schedules, and responding to correspondence.
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Human Resources Vice President
Average Salary: $169,647
Human resources (HR) vice presidents play a vital role in the effective administration and operation of an organization’s HR department. These executives are responsible for directing an organization’s staffing goals and developing strategies to support the company’s profitable and productive business operations. HR vice presidents also perform other duties and responsibilities, including planning payroll and employee benefits, facilitating the enforcement of standardized HR processes, and recommending new measures for employee performance evaluations. The skills and qualifications for this position include previous experience as an HR director, strong leadership skills, and in-depth knowledge of HR processes.
Below is a full table of the average pay for various vice president that pay the most followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Vice Presidents
Methodology
Zippia uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.
Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information for vice presidents.
Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more details on our salary estimates, you can read the detailed methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Vice President Jobs FAQs
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What is the highest-paid vice president job?
The highest-paid vice president job is an executive vice president. Executive Vice Presidents earn an average salary of $216,285, which is $ 103.98 hourly.
An executive vice president is responsible for monitoring departmental operations, managing customer relationships, developing the company’s strategic goals, and identifying business opportunities that would maximize the company’s performance, drive revenues, and achieve the business’s profitability goals. Executive vice presidents contribute to sales innovations, negotiate business contracts, analyze financial reports, and minimize the company’s expenses without compromising high-quality operations and customer satisfaction. An executive vice president must have excellent leadership and communication skills to support its daily operations to achieve its long-term goals and objectives.
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What is a good salary for a vice president?
A good salary for a vice president is $158,637 or more. The average vice president salary is $158,637, so those making at least $158,637 are earning above-average paychecks.
Keep in mind, however, that the average vice president salary does fluctuate based on location, as companies will adjust their pay scales based on the cost of living in that area. Research what the average salary is in your area for someone of your expertise and experience level to get a more accurate view on how well you’re being paid.
In addition, if you’re just starting your career as a vice president, the average entry level salary is $0, so don’t base your opinion of your salary on the $158,637 average, as this includes all vice presidents of all skill and experience levels.
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Do Vice President jobs pay well?
Yes, vice president jobs pay well. As in any industry, some vice president jobs pay better than others, but the average vice president salary of $158,637 is times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.
In addition to this, many vice president jobs have high earning potential, with the top 10% of vice presidents earning $0 a year on average.
Vice Presidents’ salaries will fluctuate based on their experience level, industry, and location, so pay attention to these factors when you’re looking for a job as a vice president. Do your research on the going rate for a vice president in your area with your expertise, and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary based on that information.
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Where do vice presidents get paid the most?
Vice Presidents get paid the most in New York. In New York, vice presidents earn an average annual salary of $174,367 and an average hourly wage of $83.83.
Following NY, the states with the highest-paid vice presidents are New Jersey, Washington, and Connecticut, with average annual salaries of $172,269, $170,607, and $170,727 respectively.
The cities with the highest-paid vice president salaries are:
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San Francisco, CA – $182,517
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New York, NY – $178,805
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Seattle, WA – $177,567
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
