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The average salary for a corporate executive in the United States is $116,273 annually, translating to approximately $56 per hour. Salaries can fluctuate significantly depending on factors such as industry, years of experience, and geographical location.
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Entry-level corporate executives may earn less, while those with extensive experience in leadership positions can command significantly higher salaries. Additionally, industries such as technology and finance tend to offer higher compensation compared to others.
Corporate executives in states like California, New York, and Texas often see the highest salaries. Exploring job opportunities in these locations can lead to attractive compensation packages. Moreover, certain sectors, including healthcare and technology, consistently report higher salaries for corporate executives.
Understanding the corporate executive salary landscape can aid in career planning and development. Utilize resources like Zippia to compare salaries by state and industry, and position yourself for success in your corporate career.
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The highest-paying states for corporate executives are Washington, California, and Nevada. The lowest average corporate executive salary states are Oklahoma, Indiana, and Kentucky.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $166,792 | $80.19 |
| 2 | Nevada | $158,400 | $76.15 |
| 3 | Illinois | $133,130 | $64.00 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $136,273 | $65.52 |
| 5 | Florida | $135,942 | $65.36 |
| 6 | Arizona | $125,793 | $60.48 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $125,828 | $60.49 |
| 8 | Maryland | $137,538 | $66.12 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $129,544 | $62.28 |
| 10 | California | $162,646 | $78.20 |
| 11 | Ohio | $124,323 | $59.77 |
| 12 | Oregon | $140,512 | $67.55 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $144,841 | $69.64 |
| 14 | Delaware | $117,564 | $56.52 |
| 15 | Missouri | $115,795 | $55.67 |
| 16 | Texas | $111,434 | $53.57 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $113,837 | $54.73 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $114,549 | $55.07 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $121,421 | $58.38 |
| 20 | Alaska | $128,574 | $61.81 |
| 21 | Colorado | $113,026 | $54.34 |
| 22 | Virginia | $114,666 | $55.13 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $137,886 | $66.29 |
| 24 | New York | $128,229 | $61.65 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $108,978 | $52.39 |
| 26 | Utah | $99,146 | $47.67 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $103,302 | $49.66 |
| 28 | Michigan | $104,227 | $50.11 |
| 29 | Georgia | $100,037 | $48.09 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $103,720 | $49.87 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $98,329 | $47.27 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $101,062 | $48.59 |
| 33 | Vermont | $96,952 | $46.61 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $94,590 | $45.48 |
| 35 | Montana | $93,184 | $44.80 |
| 36 | Alabama | $99,847 | $48.00 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $98,445 | $47.33 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $95,429 | $45.88 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $95,513 | $45.92 |
| 40 | Kansas | $92,731 | $44.58 |
| 41 | Idaho | $91,934 | $44.20 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $88,732 | $42.66 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $90,968 | $43.73 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $90,756 | $43.63 |
| 45 | Iowa | $87,904 | $42.26 |
| 46 | Indiana | $86,514 | $41.59 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $82,013 | $39.43 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $87,104 | $41.88 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $83,636 | $40.21 |
| 50 | Maine | $77,026 | $37.03 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $66,139 | $31.80 |
The highest-paying cities for corporate executives are Mountain View, CA, Olympia, WA, and Carson City, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain View, CA | $180,046 | $86.56 |
| 2 | Olympia, WA | $176,879 | $85.04 |
| 3 | Carson City, NV | $173,632 | $83.48 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $139,305 | $66.97 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $139,158 | $66.90 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $137,853 | $66.28 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $130,591 | $62.78 |
| 8 | Albany, NY | $129,967 | $62.48 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $126,343 | $60.74 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $124,427 | $59.82 |
| 11 | Jefferson City, MO | $115,926 | $55.73 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $114,730 | $55.16 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $114,620 | $55.11 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $112,460 | $54.07 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | $109,463 | $52.63 |
| 16 | Lansing, MI | $104,048 | $50.02 |
| 17 | Lincoln, NE | $103,662 | $49.84 |
| 18 | Harrisburg, PA | $102,950 | $49.50 |
| 19 | Concord, NH | $100,813 | $48.47 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $100,177 | $48.16 |
A corporate executive's salary ranges from $76,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $176,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $176,000 | $14,667 | $85 |
| 75th Percentile | $144,000 | $12,000 | $69 |
| Average | $116,273 | $9,689 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
The highest paying types of corporate executives are president/chief executive officer, executive vice president, and senior vice president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | $90,334 | $7,528 | $43.43 | 86,486 |
| President | $192,329 | $16,027 | $92.47 | 49,413 |
| Board Member | $70,751 | $5,896 | $34.01 | 7,581 |
| Co-Founder | $105,022 | $8,752 | $50.49 | 4,214 |
| Co-Owner | $86,704 | $7,225 | $41.68 | 52,915 |
| Vice President | $158,637 | $13,220 | $76.27 | 119,530 |
Top companies hiring corporate executives now:
Corporate executive salaries at Fenwick & West and Biogen are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average corporate executive salary at companies like Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Macy's are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fenwick & West | $213,596 | $102.69 |
| 2 | Biogen | $169,445 | $81.46 |
| 3 | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals | $148,438 | $71.36 |
| 4 | Macy's | $144,850 | $69.64 |
| 5 | HSBC Bank | $124,122 | $59.67 |
| 6 | Rockley Photonics | $120,487 | $57.93 |
| 7 | Jefferies | $117,182 | $56.34 |
| 8 | *n/a* | $113,540 | $54.59 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $109,485 | $52.64 |
| 10 | Overstock.com | $107,694 | $51.78 |
| 11 | Ceres | $106,629 | $51.26 |
| 12 | Huitt-Zollars | $105,468 | $50.71 |
| 13 | Lifespace Communities | $104,759 | $50.36 |
| 14 | Womble | $104,093 | $50.04 |
| 15 | Bank of America | $101,637 | $48.86 |
The average corporate executive salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $125,228 | $60.21 |
| 2 | Technology | $123,998 | $59.61 |
| 3 | Retail | $115,127 | $55.35 |
| 4 | Professional | $106,437 | $51.17 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $100,955 | $48.54 |
| 6 | Finance | $84,865 | $40.80 |
| 7 | Government | $78,599 | $37.79 |
The average corporate executive salary has risen by $11,906 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average corporate executive earned $104,367 annually, but today, they earn $116,273 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for corporate executives over the last decade.
Compare corporate executive salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare corporate executive salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $116,000 | $55.90 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | $115,000 | $55.45 | -2.8% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.00 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.09 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $113,000 | $54.48 | +3.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whistlepig Whiskey | Corporate & Executive Gifting Associate-Located | Shoreham, VT | 04/24/2025 | $41,740 |
| State Street Corporation | Head of Corporate Functions | Clifton, NJ | 04/23/2025 | $170,000 |
| iJET | Corporate Executive Protection Agent | Emeryville, CA | 04/06/2025 | $104,350 |
| Crisis24 | Corporate Executive Protection Agent | Emeryville, CA | 04/06/2025 | $104,350 |
| GE Aerospace | Executive-Corporate FP&A and Allocations Leader | Evendale, OH | 03/22/2025 | $200,000 |
| GE Aerospace | Executive-Corporate FP&A and Allocations Leader | Chicago, IL | 03/22/2025 | $200,000 |
| GE Aerospace | Executive-Corporate FP&A and Allocations Leader | Boston, MA | 03/22/2025 | $200,000 |
| GE Aerospace | Executive-Corporate FP&A and Allocations Leader | Norwalk, CA | 03/22/2025 | $200,000 |
| Intel | Corporate Executive Security Specialist | Santa Clara, CA | 02/27/2025 | $116,850 |
| General Electric Company | Executive-Corporate FP&A and Allocations Leader | Norwalk, CA | 02/21/2025 | $200,000 |
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