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Executive director/chief executive officer salary
Average executive director/chief executive officer salary
$133,699
Average Salary Overview
The average salary for an Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer as of October 2025 is $133,699 per year, equating to about $64 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, industry sector, and the individual’s experience level. For example, executive roles in larger metropolitan areas often command higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living adjustments.
Salary by State
Executive Directors in states such as California and New York tend to earn among the highest wages, with average salaries exceeding $150,000. Conversely, states with lower costs of living may offer salaries closer to the national average. It is essential for job seekers to consider these regional differences when exploring career opportunities.
Highest Paying Cities
Job seekers should also focus on metropolitan areas known for their lucrative positions. Cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle are recognized for offering premium salaries, often complemented by robust benefits packages. By targeting these locations, professionals can maximize their earning potential and career growth.
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Where can an Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer earn more?
Average executive director/chief executive officer salary by state
The highest-paying states for executive directors/chief executive officer are California, Nevada, and Texas. The lowest average executive director/chief executive officer salary states are Idaho, South Dakota, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for executive directors/chief executive officer
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $151,307 | $72.74 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $133,947 | $64.40 |
| 3 | New York | $132,131 | $63.52 |
| 4 | Illinois | $127,146 | $61.13 |
| 5 | Texas | $139,763 | $67.19 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $124,963 | $60.08 |
| 7 | Arizona | $124,306 | $59.76 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $116,739 | $56.12 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $127,023 | $61.07 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $132,214 | $63.56 |
| 11 | California | $162,893 | $78.31 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $122,318 | $58.81 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $113,488 | $54.56 |
| 14 | Virginia | $118,244 | $56.85 |
| 15 | Maryland | $123,557 | $59.40 |
| 16 | Delaware | $119,324 | $57.37 |
| 17 | Georgia | $111,495 | $53.60 |
| 18 | Alabama | $105,022 | $50.49 |
| 19 | Ohio | $111,366 | $53.54 |
| 20 | Washington | $114,700 | $55.14 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $134,933 | $64.87 |
| 22 | Michigan | $111,027 | $53.38 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $104,782 | $50.38 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $103,607 | $49.81 |
| 25 | Colorado | $105,637 | $50.79 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $100,663 | $48.40 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $99,077 | $47.63 |
| 28 | Florida | $107,205 | $51.54 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $99,635 | $47.90 |
| 30 | Oregon | $106,970 | $51.43 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $99,508 | $47.84 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $97,377 | $46.82 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $89,162 | $42.87 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $98,688 | $47.45 |
| 35 | Vermont | $94,153 | $45.27 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $86,076 | $41.38 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $90,805 | $43.66 |
| 38 | Missouri | $90,545 | $43.53 |
| 39 | Utah | $95,866 | $46.09 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $90,819 | $43.66 |
| 41 | Idaho | $83,720 | $40.25 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $70,692 | $33.99 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $89,256 | $42.91 |
| 44 | Indiana | $85,282 | $41.00 |
| 45 | Alaska | $92,714 | $44.57 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $84,381 | $40.57 |
| 47 | Iowa | $82,927 | $39.87 |
| 48 | Montana | $84,597 | $40.67 |
| 49 | Maine | $76,398 | $36.73 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $83,251 | $40.02 |
| 51 | Kansas | $80,307 | $38.61 |
Highest paying cities for executive directors/chief executive officer
The highest-paying cities for executive directors/chief executive officer are Palo Alto, CA, Huntington, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palo Alto, CA | $182,486 | $87.73 |
| 2 | Huntington, NY | $135,534 | $65.16 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $135,261 | $65.03 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $129,696 | $62.35 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $127,790 | $61.44 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $127,085 | $61.10 |
| 7 | Tacoma, WA | $116,519 | $56.02 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $112,594 | $54.13 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $112,249 | $53.97 |
| 10 | Aventura, FL | $106,626 | $51.26 |
| 11 | Englewood, CO | $106,132 | $51.02 |
| 12 | Charlotte, NC | $103,267 | $49.65 |
| 13 | Eagan, MN | $99,469 | $47.82 |
Executive director/chief executive officer salary details
An executive director/chief executive officer's salary ranges from $77,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $231,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an executive director/chief executive officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $231,000 | $19,250 | $111 |
| 75th Percentile | $178,000 | $14,833 | $86 |
| Average | $133,699 | $11,142 | $64 |
| 25th Percentile | $100,000 | $8,333 | $48 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
Highest paying executive director/chief executive officer jobs
The highest paying types of executive directors/chief executive officer are president/chief executive officer, executive vice president, and president & chief operating officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | $192,329 | $16,027 | $92.47 | 49,413 |
| Vice President | $158,637 | $13,220 | $76.27 | 119,530 |
| Managing Director | $129,690 | $10,808 | $62.35 | 81,022 |
| Director, Special Projects | $129,916 | $10,826 | $62.46 | 45,103 |
| Board Of Directors Member | $69,241 | $5,770 | $33.29 | 14,968 |
| Area Director | $100,433 | $8,369 | $48.29 | 47,326 |
Top companies hiring executive directors/chief executive officer now:
Which companies pay executive directors/chief executive officer the most?
Executive director/chief executive officer salaries at Open Society Foundations and Nuveen Investments are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average executive director/chief executive officer salary at companies like SUNY Adirondack and Bristol-Myers Squibb are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open Society Foundations | $179,235 | $86.17 |
| 2 | Nuveen Investments | $171,034 | $82.23 |
| 3 | SUNY Adirondack | $170,248 | $81.85 |
| 4 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $169,871 | $81.67 |
| 5 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | $160,953 | $77.38 |
| 6 | Ilitch Holdings | $156,855 | $75.41 |
| 7 | Korn Ferry | $154,670 | $74.36 |
| 8 | Aetna | $153,109 | $73.61 |
| 9 | UnitedHealth Group | $151,820 | $72.99 |
| 10 | S'well | $148,981 | $71.63 |
| 11 | Heckscher Museum of Art | $146,320 | $70.35 |
| 12 | Smart and Associates LLP | $139,311 | $66.98 |
| 13 | Samsara | $138,113 | $66.40 |
| 14 | Dow Jones | $132,784 | $63.84 |
| 15 | Global Energy Services Inc | $128,759 | $61.90 |
| 16 | Uniphore | $128,338 | $61.70 |
| 17 | YMCA | $128,234 | $61.65 |
| 18 | California State University | $119,372 | $57.39 |
| 19 | AGB | $108,450 | $52.14 |
| 20 | San Francisco Symphony | $100,521 | $48.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Executive director/chief executive officer salary trends
The average executive director/chief executive officer salary has risen by $13,690 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average executive director/chief executive officer earned $120,009 annually, but today, they earn $133,699 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for executive directors/chief executive officer over the last decade.
Compare executive director/chief executive officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average executive director/chief executive officer salary over time
Compare executive director/chief executive officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Executive director/chief executive officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $134,000 | $64.28 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | $133,000 | $63.76 | -2.8% |
| 2024 | $136,000 | $65.54 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $132,000 | $63.35 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $130,000 | $62.64 | +3.4% |
Recently added executive director/chief executive officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Yorktown Foundation | Executive Director and Chief Philanthropy Officer | Charleston, SC | 06/21/2025 | $95,000 |
| San Joaquin County, Ca | Chief Executive Officer/Project Director | Stockton, CA | 06/05/2025 | $22,500 |
| The New York Times | Director of Operations, Office of The CEO | Fine, NY | 05/03/2025 | $160,000 |
| BNY External | Director, CEO Communications | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $125,000 |
| Opportunity International | Senior Director, Office of The CEO | Chicago, IL | 04/04/2025 | $105,000 |
| BNY External | Director, CEO Communications | New York, NY | 03/26/2025 | $125,000 |
| NADQ Nasdaq | Office of The CEO, Director | New York, NY | 03/07/2025 | $120,000 |
| Nasdaq Omx Group, Inc. | Office of The CEO, Director | New York, NY | 03/04/2025 | $120,000 |
| SCA Health | CEO Facility Administrator/Director of Nursing-Lindenhurst Surgery Center | Lake Villa, IL | 03/03/2025 | $120,000 |
| Surgery Care Affiliates | CEO Facility Administrator/Director of Nursing-Lindenhurst Surgery Center | Lake Villa, IL | 02/26/2025 | $120,000 |
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