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Job outlook for client executives in the United States
Client executive job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected client executive job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 23,800 new jobs for client executives are projected over the next decade.
Client executive salaries have increased 12% for client executives in the last 5 years.
There are over 13,124 client executives currently employed in the United States.
There are 140,273 active client executive job openings in the US.
The average client executive salary is $132,046.
Are client executive jobs in demand?
Client executive job and salary trends over time
Client executive jobs over time
Client executive job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,124 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 12,068 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 12,689 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 12,378 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 12,041 | 0.00% |
Average client executive salary over time
Client executive salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $132,046 | $63.48 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $126,407 | $60.77 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $123,991 | $59.61 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $120,837 | $58.09 | +2.6% |
| 2021 | $117,743 | $56.61 | +3.6% |
Client executive jobs by state
Most common states for client executives
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 424 | 61% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,908 | 28% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 160 | 26% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,350 | 24% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 235 | 24% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,833 | 22% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,620 | 22% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 693 | 22% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 165 | 22% |
| 10 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,682 | 21% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,180 | 21% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 218 | 21% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 207 | 20% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,315 | 19% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 109 | 19% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 659 | 18% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 344 | 18% |
| 18 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,755 | 17% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 714 | 17% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 232 | 17% |
Most common cities for client executives
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto | 4 | 6% | $158,663 |
| 2 | Schaumburg | 4 | 5% | $137,329 |
| 3 | Atlanta | 12 | 3% | $126,821 |
| 4 | Springfield | 3 | 3% | $136,620 |
| 5 | Hartford | 3 | 2% | $146,600 |
| 6 | Boston | 10 | 1% | $139,903 |
| 7 | Miami | 6 | 1% | $137,142 |
| 8 | Detroit | 5 | 1% | $157,905 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 5 | 1% | $128,561 |
| 10 | Tampa | 5 | 1% | $139,638 |
| 11 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $157,115 |
| 12 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $114,992 |
| 13 | Minneapolis | 3 | 1% | $118,124 |
| 14 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $156,435 |
| 15 | Chicago | 13 | 0% | $137,949 |
| 16 | Los Angeles | 6 | 0% | $156,826 |
| 17 | Phoenix | 6 | 0% | $119,025 |
| 18 | San Francisco | 4 | 0% | $158,421 |
| 19 | Baltimore | 3 | 0% | $157,500 |
| 20 | Jacksonville | 3 | 0% | $140,838 |
Client Executive job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of client executive experts
The Pennsylvania State University
The University of West Florida
Christopher Newport University
Andrews University
Valdosta State University
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Penn State Behrend
Minnesota State University Moorhead
University of Minnesota
Buffalo State College
James Wilkerson Ph.D.
Business Program Coordinator, Project and Supply Chain Management Program CoordinatorThe Pennsylvania State University
Business Department
What skills will help Client Executives earn the most?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Skill at rapidly learning market trends, relating business development to product development, and persuading major prospective clients when brought in to help with closing sales. Bottom line: the business development manager must be on the cutting edge of new market conditions and new business opportunities to help the firm organically grow its sales, especially in new markets or product/service lines.
Eric Bostwick Ph.D.
Professor of AccountingThe University of West Florida
Department of Accounting and Finance
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Client Executives?
Eric Bostwick Ph.D.: In a word, yes. The adjustments that both individuals and businesses have made during this time have shifted our expectations for life and work. For a generation of students who were already tech-natives, the shift to more technology-enabled interactions has reinforced the "click-to-do" mentality. And for non-tech-natives, the roll-out of intuitive, easy-to-use apps has overcome much of their resistance to these types of interactions. These shifts have affected everything from business meetings to family reunions and from buying lunch to meeting with your doctor. However, graduates will need to grow beyond being technology consumers. They must be able to effectively use technology to deliver a company's value proposition, especially in service-oriented fields such as accounting, finance, law, medicine, and consulting.
What soft skills should all Client Executives possess?
Eric Bostwick Ph.D.: Similar to the answer above, oral and written communication skills have been important for a number of years, but in our current environment, these skills have become much more important. Our ability to pick up on the context surrounding email messages is reduced since we have fewer in-person interactions, and even our virtual meetings eliminate much of the body language that we use--both consciously and unconsciously--to interpret what other people mean by what they say. Thus, candidates will stand out when they can clearly articulate their thoughts in both written form, via email or chat, and in oral form, via the ubiquitous "Brady Bunch" layout on their coworkers' computer screens.
Todd Lee Goen
Instructor & Internship DirectorChristopher Newport University
Department of Communication
What technical skills for a Client Executive stand out to employers?
Todd Lee Goen: Technical skills are often industry and/or position specific. Applicants should highlight any technical skills related to the position advertisement and those that add value to the position/organization. Most importantly, requirements for technical skills change with time and technological advances. This means employers value workers capable of adapting to change and continually improving and acquiring new technical skills. Thus, it's usually more important to demonstrate you are capable of learning and developing technical skills than it is to have a specific skill set upon hire (although this is not true for some positions/industries).
That said, technical skills related to online presentations, virtual meetings, virtual networking, remote working and the like are hot commodities right now. While most organizations were in the process of adopting many of these technologies and ways of doing business pre-pandemic, the pandemic accelerated the process. Organizations are making it work, but they often don't know best practices or the most efficient means of working in the largely virtual, pandemic environment. Post-pandemic, many of the remote/virtual changes the pandemic brought will stay in some form. Technical skills that support this type of workplace will make applicants stand out to many employers because they need/want to do virtual/remote business better.
What's a good job out of college for Client Executives?
Todd Lee Goen: Pandemic or no pandemic, the best job out of college is one that sets you on the path to achieve your ultimate career goal(s). Reflect on where you want to be in five or ten years or even twenty-five years. Then consider positions that will set you on the path to achieve that goal. Very few people land their dream job upon graduation - dream jobs are typically those we're not qualified to do without some additional work experience and training. A good job is one that will help you achieve your goal(s) - just don't frame it that way in the interview.
Good jobs pay a livable salary for the location, offer benefits (health insurance and retirement at minimum), and provide professional development opportunities (these can take a variety of forms). Too often, college grads overlook professional development. If an employer isn't willing to invest in you, there's no guarantee you will succeed in the job. Good employers understand they need qualified employees who continually develop their skills and abilities, and good employers will make sure employees have the resources they need to succeed.
Lucile Sabas
Associate Professor of Finance & EconomicsAndrews University
School of Business Administration
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Client Executive job market given the pandemic?
Lucile Sabas: Several features will characterize the labor market hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Among them we can underline the five major following ones according to our analysis of the current situation:
1.A decrease in the job creation annual growth rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), foresees that over the next decade, this rate will be 0.4%, way below the 1.3% of the past decade 2009-2019. Even though the BLS projections data do not include the pandemic impacts, we assert that the trend mentioned could be maintained due to the changes that we can observe in the economy. It's also important to notice that this is a long run trend, and therefore, the projection remains valid.
2.A decrease in the labor force participation (LFP). The major factors that explain the decrease in the LFP can be mentioned as follows:
- An increase in retirements and early retirements. Many aged workers who had the possibility chose to leave the labor force due to the risks of virus contamination.
- In the category of young workers, some have seized the opportunity of distance learning for further education in the midst of a changing labor market.
- The number of discouraged workers increased because of the shifting skills requirements in the labor market and the fear of the contamination risks.
3.The emergence or reinforcement of some sectors at the expense of others. Yet, the unemployment rate increased significantly between April and June and remained higher than the 5.3% natural unemployment rate of the country; however, many sectors are still hiring and are performing very well. We'll see a conformation of this trend over the next years. For examples, the technology and NTIC sectors, as well as the e-commerce along with the transportation activities that come with it, the health and lifestyle and pharmaceutical sectors, the entertainment sector, and online education are the ones that experienced a revitalization and are expected to continue growing.
4.Due to this sectoral restructuration of our economy, the disparity between the skills requirements of the labor market and the skills currently available is increasingly visible.
5.The new organization of the workplace and the professional relations due to the COVID-19, led to a series of new activities or reinforcement of some exiting ones that still were low or experimental. More and more businesses are moving online and therefore, are moving global through the internet. This will lead to an increase in demand for a series of competencies that international business graduates will be able to find their way in. We can mention for example, foreign and internal market analysts, market trends analysts, bilingualism, e-managers and e-commerce specialists, international marketers, specialists in international finance and payments, specialists in International sales and negotiation (International marketing), approach to foreign markets and commercial communication specialists. Graduates with high competencies and skills in all these domains, will easily find their way in this new environment.
Herbert Fiester Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Curriculum and Instruction Doctoral ProgramValdosta State University
Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Client Executive job market given the pandemic?
Herbert Fiester Ph.D.: This is an interesting question. On one hand, I expect organizations are treading water right now related to new hires while they weather the current atypical pandemic business conditions and an uncertain future. I know budgets in many industries, including public education, have been frozen. On the other hand, the pandemic has brought new challenges to how people work. New processes have been developed and are being utilized to allow productivity to continue. Many of these changes require employees to be trained to do these new process and use new productivity tools, which provides excellent opportunities for people with the ability to train others especially with technology related skills. I expect individuals with technology training skills will be in high demand even with the tight budgets. If, and when, the effects of the pandemic start to recede, I expect all organizations will look to shore-up human resource gaps where those needs exist.
What general advice would you give to a Client Executive?
Celeste Spier Ph.D.: My advice would focus on three areas. First, adopt a growth/learner mindset. While your college degree has given you a great foundation of knowledge and skills, there is still much to learn. Second, build a community of support. Work (and life) are all about relationships. Put extra focus on building and maintaining strong relationships at work as well as outside of work. Finally, establish healthy work habits. Organizing your work, managing distraction, and getting the important work done (well and on time) are all essential skills for today's employees.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Client Executives to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Owens Ph.D.: Historically, the greatest number of jobs in international business have been located in the major trade areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston. However, the work from anywhere trend could open more opportunities for international business in areas outside traditional trade centers.
Wooyang Kim Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorMinnesota State University Moorhead
Paseka School of Business
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Client Executive job market given the pandemic?
Wooyang Kim Ph.D.: During this unprecedented context, the biggest trends in the marketing job market would be three parts - 1) Hyper-competition in the shrunk size of the job markets, 2) Emerging virtual (or remote) work environment at the home office, and 3) Salary and/or compensation reduction in the workplaces.
First, on average, the unemployment rate has been drastically increased while the job positions were (temporarily) eliminated in 2020 due primarily to the negative effect of the pandemic across industry sectors. Also, the pandemic situation has accelerated the job positions by replacing humans with AI (artificial intelligence) and machines (e.g., automation and/or touchless system), shrinking the total size of the job market. As a result, the given conditions inevitably entail hyper-competitions by creating a new structural environment in the job market for two or three years from now. This situational tendency would accelerate in the manufacturing and service industry sectors. Second, due to safety reasons by following the CDC regulation, many firms have changed the workplace from firms' office to home office, although several labor-intensive sectors had minimized this change (e.g., retailers and restaurants). This replacement of the workplace has increased the virtual or remote oriented work environment. Third, overall costs for maintaining businesses increase while declining profits - tight budget for business sustainability to survive in the current market. This circumstance tends to reduce overall marketing costs as well as the labor force-related costs (salaries, compensations, and benefits).
Nonetheless, the job positions in analyzing consumer behavior and psychology would be sustainable in the marketing-related job market, such as the job areas related to market and marketing analyses, online consumer analyses, and similar fields across the industry sectors.
What general advice would you give to a Client Executive?
Geoff Kaufmann: Do your best in school, volunteer, gain leadership experience and see if you can hitch yourself to professor-based research.
What general advice would you give to a Client Executive?
Annemarie Franczyk: Never settle and never settle down. Both notions suggest dropping where you are and staying put and being hopelessly stuck. When you're hopelessly stuck, you're not learning, growing and advancing. Always look for the next opportunity to do something interesting. Take chances. If you do, you will have a lifetime of no regrets.