Best cities for an executive director
The best cities for executive directors are New York, NY, Tucson, AZ, and Corpus Christi, TX, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for executive directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for executive directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an executive director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for executive directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for executive directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an executive director. While the absolute best city for executive directors is New York, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for executive directors in 2024.
If you're looking for an executive director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for executive directors in 2025
1. New York, NY
Executive director jobs in New YorkTotal executive director jobs: 207 Average annual salary: $150,937 Lowest 10 percent warn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $252,000 Location quotient: 4.40 2. Tucson, AZ
Executive director jobs in TucsonTotal executive director jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $118,627 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $206,000 Location quotient: 1.97 3. Corpus Christi, TX
Executive director jobs in Corpus ChristiTotal executive director jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $122,015 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location quotient: 1.81 4. Jersey City, NJ
Executive director jobs in Jersey CityTotal executive director jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $128,166 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $214,000 Location quotient: 2.14 5. Buffalo, NY
Executive director jobs in BuffaloTotal executive director jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $145,684 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $245,000 Location quotient: 1.37 6. Oakland, CA
Executive director jobs in OaklandTotal executive director jobs: 56 Average annual salary: $132,678 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 4.84 7. San Antonio, TX
Executive director jobs in San AntonioTotal executive director jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $121,065 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $213,000 Location quotient: 1.24 8. Bakersfield, CA
Total executive director jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $132,942 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 1.64 9. Riverside, CA
Total executive director jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $131,527 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $228,000 Location quotient: 4.14 10. Henderson, NV
Executive director jobs in HendersonTotal executive director jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $106,527 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000 Location quotient: 2.08
Choose from 10+ customizable executive director resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use executive director resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your executive director resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for executive directors
- New York, NY
- Tucson, AZ
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Jersey City, NJ
- Buffalo, NY
- Oakland, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Riverside, CA
- Henderson, NV
Detailed list of the best cities for an executive director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $150,937 | $90,000 | 8,537,673 | 207 |
| 2 | Tucson, AZ | $118,627 | $68,000 | 530,706 | 27 |
| 3 | Corpus Christi, TX | $122,015 | $69,000 | 325,733 | 5 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $128,166 | $76,000 | 264,152 | 85 |
| 5 | Buffalo, NY | $145,684 | $86,000 | 256,902 | 17 |
| 6 | Oakland, CA | $132,678 | $76,000 | 420,005 | 56 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $121,065 | $68,000 | 1,492,510 | 44 |
| 8 | Bakersfield, CA | $132,942 | $76,000 | 376,380 | 9 |
| 9 | Riverside, CA | $131,527 | $75,000 | 324,722 | 30 |
| 10 | Henderson, NV | $106,527 | $61,000 | 292,969 | 7 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $103,180 | $60,000 | 860,090 | 76 |
| 12 | Lubbock, TX | $115,982 | $66,000 | 252,506 | 4 |
| 13 | Newark, NJ | $128,075 | $76,000 | 281,764 | 17 |
| 14 | Fresno, CA | $131,932 | $75,000 | 522,053 | 11 |
| 15 | Hialeah, FL | $111,104 | $63,000 | 236,387 | 3 |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $132,449 | $76,000 | 3,976,322 | 141 |
| 17 | Mesa, AZ | $118,345 | $67,000 | 484,587 | 6 |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | $102,906 | $60,000 | 278,508 | 7 |
| 19 | Arlington, TX | $114,984 | $65,000 | 392,772 | 6 |
| 20 | Miami, FL | $111,087 | $63,000 | 453,579 | 82 |
| 21 | Austin, TX | $120,117 | $68,000 | 947,890 | 61 |
| 22 | Cleveland, OH | $104,169 | $61,000 | 385,809 | 20 |
| 23 | Stockton, CA | $131,248 | $75,000 | 307,072 | 6 |
| 24 | Santa Ana, CA | $131,881 | $75,000 | 334,217 | 8 |
| 25 | Atlanta, GA | $111,465 | $64,000 | 472,522 | 111 |
| 26 | Glendale, AZ | $118,531 | $68,000 | 245,895 | 2 |
| 27 | Houston, TX | $120,084 | $68,000 | 2,303,482 | 72 |
| 28 | San Francisco, CA | $132,888 | $76,000 | 870,887 | 114 |
| 29 | Sacramento, CA | $129,801 | $74,000 | 495,234 | 35 |
| 30 | Albuquerque, NM | $99,715 | $57,000 | 559,277 | 28 |
| 31 | Fort Worth, TX | $115,033 | $65,000 | 854,113 | 14 |
| 32 | Plano, TX | $113,145 | $64,000 | 286,057 | 31 |
| 33 | El Paso, TX | $120,065 | $68,000 | 683,080 | 3 |
| 34 | Phoenix, AZ | $118,468 | $68,000 | 1,615,017 | 37 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | $101,758 | $59,000 | 458,880 | 40 |
| 36 | Saint Paul, MN | $94,870 | $56,000 | 302,398 | 59 |
| 37 | Cincinnati, OH | $101,610 | $59,000 | 298,800 | 21 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,686 | $57,000 | 1,567,872 | 96 |
| 39 | Brookhaven, NY | $151,704 | $90,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 40 | Washington, DC | $117,302 | $69,000 | 681,170 | 242 |
| 41 | Islip, NY | $151,576 | $90,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 42 | Long Beach, CA | $132,159 | $76,000 | 470,130 | 6 |
| 43 | Hempstead, NY | $151,245 | $90,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 44 | Oyster Bay, NY | $151,244 | $90,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 45 | Madison, WI | $95,103 | $56,000 | 252,551 | 34 |
| 46 | Laredo, TX | $122,560 | $69,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 47 | San Diego, CA | $130,919 | $75,000 | 1,406,630 | 66 |
| 48 | Chandler, AZ | $118,445 | $68,000 | 247,477 | 3 |
| 49 | Baltimore, MD | $108,925 | $64,000 | 614,664 | 62 |
| 50 | Dallas, TX | $114,441 | $65,000 | 1,317,929 | 32 |
Highest paying cities for executive directors
| Rank | City | Avg. executive director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $150,937 |
| 2 | Palo Alto, CA | $133,268 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $128,485 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $128,166 |
| 5 | Wilmington, DE | $121,477 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $121,065 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $118,468 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $117,302 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $111,465 |
| 10 | Miami, FL | $111,087 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $108,925 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $105,692 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $105,250 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $103,180 |
| 15 | Richmond, VA | $101,892 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $101,758 |
| 17 | Olympia, WA | $98,778 |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,686 |
| 19 | Madison, WI | $95,103 |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $94,870 |
Executive director best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.
Search for executive director jobs
Updated January 8, 2025