Chief Executives salary
The median pay for chief executives in the United States is $213,990 a year. About 204,350 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $75,700
- 25th percentile
- $129,540
- Median percentile
- $213,990
- 75th percentile
- $356,200
- 90th percentile
- $507,730
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Oregon $341,630
- Washington $339,810
- Illinois $331,920
- North Carolina $314,290
- Virginia $310,740
- New Jersey $310,440
- Connecticut $295,120
- Hawaii $281,640
- South Dakota $280,900
- New York $257,980
- Texas $257,850
- Michigan $255,560
- Indiana $254,180
- Maryland $248,660
- Rhode Island $235,360
- Pennsylvania $232,560
- California $218,600
- Nebraska $214,680
- Iowa $211,190
- Georgia $208,180
- Delaware $199,990
- Tennessee $198,830
- Minnesota $195,670
- Montana $182,340
- Kentucky $179,530
- Idaho $177,210
- Ohio $176,440
- Vermont $175,070
- Missouri $172,320
- Utah $171,880
- South Carolina $168,840
- Alaska $166,710
- Alabama $166,420
- North Dakota $164,560
- Oklahoma $163,790
- Kansas $158,100
- West Virginia $151,950
- Nevada $149,770
- Wyoming $147,940
- Mississippi $139,250
- Maine $138,770
- New Mexico $123,500
- Arkansas $119,990
By metro area
- Medford, OR $615,500
- Midland, MI $587,950
- Midland, TX $389,330
- Bridgeport, CT $388,060
- Durham, NC $381,330
- Portland, OR $375,810
- Seattle, WA $370,000
- Greensboro, NC $354,310
- Chicago, IL $344,960
- Evansville, IN $339,330
- Springfield, IL $338,570
- Ann Arbor, MI $335,900
- Charlotte, NC $329,030
- Richmond, VA $326,160
- Rockford, IL $323,030
- Dallas, TX $320,060
- Charlottesville, VA $317,900
- Urban Honolulu, HI $315,920
- Hickory, NC $312,730
- New Haven, CT $311,110
- Champaign, IL $310,740
- Detroit, MI $304,110
- New York, NY $301,440
- Rapid City, SD $301,420
- Wilmington, NC $298,730
- Jackson, MI $298,440
- Virginia Beach, VA $297,350
- Philadelphia, PA $292,770
- Des Moines, IA $290,870
- San Francisco, CA $288,690
- Austin, TX $288,150
- Kennewick, WA $287,180
- Raleigh, NC $286,050
- Kalamazoo, MI $285,300
- Sioux Falls, SD $282,170
- Odessa, TX $281,480
- Allentown, PA $279,080
- Atlantic City, NJ $276,970
- Atlanta, GA $275,820
- Houston, TX $275,270
- Eugene, OR $274,520
- Winston, NC $273,710
- Asheville, NC $270,520
- Peoria, IL $270,090
- Bremerton, WA $268,090
- Baltimore, MD $268,030
- Harrisonburg, VA $264,970
- Salem, OR $261,650
- South Bend, IN $261,280
- Spokane, WA $260,940
- Lexington Park, MD $260,050
- Roanoke, VA $258,310
- San Antonio, TX $256,610
- Indianapolis, IN $256,320
- Hartford, CT $254,180
- Kiryas Joel, NY $251,520
- Norwich, CT $250,670
- Waterbury, CT $248,810
- Grand Rapids, MI $248,660
- Traverse City, MI $248,510
- Bay City, MI $247,680
- Monroe, MI $244,760
- Providence, RI $243,620
- Dalton, GA $242,760
- Napa, CA $241,590
- Buffalo, NY $239,990
- San Diego, CA $238,440
- Gainesville, FL $238,200
- Yakima, WA $238,180
- Tyler, TX $237,880
- Burlington, VT $237,600
- Rochester, NY $237,180
- Bellingham, WA $236,930
- Bloomington, IN $235,900
- Los Angeles, CA $234,290
- Williamsport, PA $233,920
- Oshkosh, WI $233,760
- Reading, PA $229,740
- Corpus Christi, TX $229,340
- Omaha, NE $228,220
- Billings, MT $227,000
- Beaumont, TX $226,720
- Salinas, CA $226,270
- Staunton, VA $225,760
- Lancaster, PA $224,160
- Colorado Springs, CO $223,990
- Green Bay, WI $222,320
- Kansas City, MO $221,640
- Winchester, VA $221,620
- Killeen, TX $220,940
- Sioux City, IA $220,590
- El Paso, TX $220,050
- Lynchburg, VA $219,400
- Janesville, WI $218,840
- Santa Rosa, CA $218,690
- Nashville, TN $218,190
- Great Falls, MT $217,910
- Lincoln, NE $217,780
- York, PA $217,730
- Waco, TX $217,610
- Madison, WI $217,010
- Syracuse, NY $216,610
- Scranton, PA $216,530
- Boulder, CO $216,400
- Pittsburgh, PA $216,060
- Kenosha, WI $215,930
- Stockton, CA $214,340
- Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $213,920
- Lebanon, PA $213,830
- Fort Wayne, IN $213,720
- Huntsville, AL $213,530
- Dubuque, IA $212,880
- Decatur, IL $212,400
- Battle Creek, MI $211,560
- La Crosse, WI $210,790
- Wenatchee, WA $210,760
- Greeley, CO $210,700
- Dayton, OH $210,670
- Niles, MI $210,620
- Chattanooga, TN $209,990