Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$75,700
- 25th Percentile — Junior$129,540
- 50th Percentile — Median$213,990
- 75th Percentile — Senior$356,200
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$507,730
The top 10% of Chief Executives earn $507,730 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $75,700, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $409,838 | +52.0% |
| Oregon | $403,380 | +49.6% |
| Connecticut | $376,840 | +39.8% |
| New Jersey | $372,910 | +38.3% |
| Washington | $360,290 | +33.6% |
| New York | $351,160 | +30.2% |
| Massachusetts (est.) | $350,519 | +30.0% |
| North Carolina | $347,690 | +29.0% |
| Illinois | $347,550 | +28.9% |
| Rhode Island | $341,100 | +26.5% |
| Virginia | $340,580 | +26.3% |
| South Dakota | $336,560 | +24.8% |
| Texas | $310,660 | +15.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $302,990 | +12.4% |
| Hawaii | $302,620 | +12.2% |
| Maryland | $299,580 | +11.1% |
| Michigan | $298,740 | +10.8% |
| Indiana | $284,910 | +5.7% |
| Delaware | $277,630 | +3.0% |
| Georgia | $275,840 | +2.3% |
| California | $272,920 | +1.2% |
| Arizona (est.) | $266,934 | -1.0% |
| Florida (est.) | $264,237 | -2.0% |
| Nebraska | $264,120 | -2.0% |
| Ohio | $254,170 | -5.7% |
| Wisconsin | $252,660 | -6.3% |
| Vermont | $250,520 | -7.1% |
| Minnesota | $246,240 | -8.7% |
| Colorado | $240,440 | -10.8% |
| Tennessee | $239,970 | -11.0% |
| Kentucky | $238,100 | -11.7% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $237,274 | -12.0% |
| Iowa | $237,270 | -12.0% |
| Nevada | $235,840 | -12.5% |
| North Dakota | $225,920 | -16.2% |
| Utah | $225,320 | -16.4% |
| Montana | $223,550 | -17.1% |
| Kansas | $222,710 | -17.4% |
| Missouri | $222,200 | -17.6% |
| Idaho | $221,580 | -17.8% |
| New Hampshire | $221,460 | -17.9% |
| Alaska | $220,770 | -18.1% |
| South Carolina | $211,720 | -21.5% |
| Alabama | $201,200 | -25.4% |
| Oklahoma | $200,930 | -25.5% |
| West Virginia | $192,840 | -28.5% |
| Maine | $191,480 | -29.0% |
| Mississippi | $173,720 | -35.6% |
| Arkansas | $164,930 | -38.8% |
| Wyoming | $162,830 | -39.6% |
| New Mexico | $152,720 | -43.4% |
What Factors Affect Chief Executives Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Chief Executives is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Oregon pays an average of $403,380, while New Mexico pays $152,720 — a gap of $250,660 per year.
The middle half of Chief Executives earn between $129,540 and $356,200 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $75,700, while the top 10% earn more than $507,730.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Chief Executives?
The average salary for Chief Executives in the United States is $269,630 per year, with a median of $213,990.
What is the starting salary for Chief Executives?
Entry-level Chief Executives typically earn between $75,700 and $129,540 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Chief Executives the most?
Oregon pays Chief Executives the most at $403,380 per year on average, followed by Connecticut ($376,840) and New Jersey ($372,910).
How much do Chief Executives make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $269,630, Chief Executives earn approximately $129.63 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Chief Executives a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 204,350 Chief Executives jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $269,630 and a median of $213,990 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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