Chief Executives
Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) earn a median $213,990 a year ($102.88 an hour) in the United States, with 204,350 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What chief executives do
Chief executives sit at the top of an organization's management structure and answer to a board of directors or a similar governing body. They set the overall direction of a company, agency, or nonprofit, decide which policies and strategic goals it will pursue, and hold the senior managers beneath them responsible for results. Day to day, the work involves reviewing financial and operating reports, approving budgets, meeting with board members and other executives about problems or priorities, and ordering corrective action when a department falls short. The setting spans private and public sector organizations. The occupation differs from general and operations managers, who run operations below the executive level, and from functional managers such as financial or marketing managers, who lead a single area. Executives also prepare or present reports on activities, expenses, and budgets, and they analyze operations to find where costs could fall or programs could improve.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a master's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Aeronautics Commission Director, Agency Owner, Agricultural Services Director, Arts and Humanities Council Director, Bank President.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $36.39 | $62.28 | $102.88 | $171.25 | $244.10 | $129.63 | 204,350 |
| Annual | $75,700 | $129,540 | $213,990 | $356,200 | $507,730 | $269,630 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where chief executives earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $86.32 | $104.35 | $164.25 | $250.47 | $371.56 | $193.93 | 910 | 0.46 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $179,550 | $217,050 | $341,630 | $520,980 | $772,840 | $403,380 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $76.97 | $103.96 | $163.37 | $212.59 | $291.88 | $173.22 | 3,170 | 0.89 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $160,110 | $216,230 | $339,810 | $442,180 | $607,100 | $360,290 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $64.02 | $89.63 | $159.58 | $206.11 | $283.52 | $167.09 | 4,620 | 0.76 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $133,170 | $186,440 | $331,920 | $428,710 | $589,720 | $347,550 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $54.91 | $87.97 | $151.10 | $212.54 | $300.48 | $167.16 | 1,930 | 0.39 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $114,210 | $182,980 | $314,290 | $442,080 | $624,990 | $347,690 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $62.50 | $93.12 | $149.40 | $208.93 | $290.43 | $163.74 | 4,870 | 1.19 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $130,000 | $193,700 | $310,740 | $434,580 | $604,090 | $340,580 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $41.25 | $64.23 | $105.10 | $168.79 | $234.05 | $131.21 | 34,700 | 1.91 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $85,790 | $133,610 | $218,600 | $351,090 | $486,830 | $272,920 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $57.12 | $78.33 | $111.81 | $190.91 | $253.94 | $145.67 | 8,850 | 1.46 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $118,810 | $162,920 | $232,560 | $397,100 | $528,200 | $302,990 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $58.24 | $82.93 | $123.97 | $192.25 | $268.54 | $149.36 | 8,780 | 0.62 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $121,130 | $172,490 | $257,850 | $399,880 | $558,550 | $310,660 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $67.50 | $86.05 | $124.03 | $201.79 | $316.17 | $168.83 | 8,430 | 0.87 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $140,410 | $178,980 | $257,980 | $419,730 | $657,630 | $351,160 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $44.49 | $66.38 | $94.07 | $150.73 | $215.99 | $118.38 | 6,740 | 2.29 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $92,540 | $138,060 | $195,670 | $313,510 | $449,270 | $246,240 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Medford, OR | Hourly | $86.32 | $142.39 | $295.92 | $338.97 | $342.14 | $242.14 | 40 | 0.40 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $179,550 | $296,170 | $615,500 | $705,060 | $711,640 | $503,650 | ||||
| Midland, MI | Hourly | $67.99 | $158.30 | $282.67 | $363.56 | $363.56 | $237.34 | 60 | 1.54 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $141,430 | $329,270 | $587,950 | $756,200 | $756,200 | $493,680 | ||||
| Midland, TX | Hourly | $76.51 | $102.81 | $187.18 | $222.50 | $367.83 | $192.43 | 100 | 0.84 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $159,140 | $213,840 | $389,330 | $462,810 | $765,080 | $400,240 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $84.13 | $108.10 | $186.57 | $248.99 | $377.82 | $215.04 | 480 | 1.20 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $174,990 | $224,850 | $388,060 | $517,910 | $785,860 | $447,290 | ||||
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | Hourly | $54.77 | $119.51 | $183.33 | $240.38 | $367.93 | $204.61 | 140 | 0.42 | 0.32 |
| Annual | $113,920 | $248,580 | $381,330 | $499,990 | $765,300 | $425,580 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $48.68 | $76.92 | $112.64 | $177.56 | $250.99 | $145.57 | 10,800 | 1.72 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $101,250 | $159,990 | $234,290 | $369,330 | $522,060 | $302,780 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $79.20 | $100.15 | $144.93 | $222.35 | $341.19 | $188.66 | 7,180 | 0.76 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $164,740 | $208,320 | $301,440 | $462,490 | $709,670 | $392,410 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,210 | 1.93 | 1.47 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $48.24 | $83.12 | $138.79 | $204.65 | $268.42 | $153.95 | 5,190 | 2.19 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $100,340 | $172,900 | $288,690 | $425,680 | $558,310 | $320,210 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $49.19 | $73.20 | $100.95 | $166.44 | $230.55 | $128.10 | 4,500 | 2.31 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $102,310 | $152,260 | $209,980 | $346,190 | $479,550 | $266,450 | ||||
Top industries employing chief executives
Management of Companies and Enterprises employ 7.6% of chief executives nationally (15,470 jobs) at a median $358,310 a year ($172.27 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (7.2%) and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (6.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 15,470 | 7.6% | $358,310 | $172.27 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 14,730 | 7.2% | $142,710 | $68.61 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 13,090 | 6.4% | $163,900 | $78.80 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 11,750 | 5.7% | $176,720 | $84.96 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 9,310 | 4.6% | $294,260 | $141.47 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (204,350). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $179,520 for chief executives in May 2021 and $213,990 in May 2025, with employment of 200,480 and 204,350.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $179,520 | $86.31 | 200,480 |
| May 2022 | $189,520 | $91.12 | 199,240 |
| May 2023 | $206,680 | $99.37 | 211,230 |
| May 2024 | $206,420 | $99.24 | 211,850 |
| May 2025 | $213,990 | $102.88 | 204,350 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
47 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $164.25 | $341,630 | $179,550 | $772,840 | 910 | 0.46 | 0.35 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $163.37 | $339,810 | $160,110 | $607,100 | 3,170 | 0.89 | 0.68 |
| 3 | Illinois profile | $159.58 | $331,920 | $133,170 | $589,720 | 4,620 | 0.76 | 0.58 |
| 4 | North Carolina profile | $151.10 | $314,290 | $114,210 | $624,990 | 1,930 | 0.39 | 0.30 |
| 5 | Virginia profile | $149.40 | $310,740 | $130,000 | $604,090 | 4,870 | 1.19 | 0.90 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $149.25 | $310,440 | $173,560 | $666,030 | 2,430 | 0.57 | 0.43 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $141.89 | $295,120 | $156,680 | $680,080 | 1,660 | 0.98 | 0.74 |
| 8 | Hawaii profile | $135.41 | $281,640 | $100,030 | $493,870 | 470 | 0.75 | 0.57 |
| 9 | South Dakota profile | $135.05 | $280,900 | $175,590 | $546,760 | 510 | 1.11 | 0.84 |
| 10 | New York profile | $124.03 | $257,980 | $140,410 | $657,630 | 8,430 | 0.87 | 0.66 |
| 11 | Texas profile | $123.97 | $257,850 | $121,130 | $558,550 | 8,780 | 0.62 | 0.47 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $122.86 | $255,560 | $104,010 | $547,090 | 4,950 | 1.13 | 0.86 |
| 13 | Indiana profile | $122.20 | $254,180 | $97,340 | $494,080 | 1,820 | 0.57 | 0.43 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $119.55 | $248,660 | $139,990 | $486,860 | 3,180 | 1.15 | 0.88 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $113.15 | $235,360 | $113,970 | $561,080 | 460 | 0.92 | 0.70 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $111.81 | $232,560 | $118,810 | $528,200 | 8,850 | 1.46 | 1.11 |
| 17 | California profile | $105.10 | $218,600 | $85,790 | $486,830 | 34,700 | 1.91 | 1.45 |
| 18 | Nebraska profile | $103.21 | $214,680 | $107,200 | $515,360 | 2,510 | 2.45 | 1.87 |
| 19 | Colorado profile | $102.58 | $213,370 | $88,400 | $402,230 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Iowa profile | $101.54 | $211,190 | $86,090 | $365,320 | 3,050 | 1.96 | 1.49 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $100.17 | $208,350 | $103,560 | $426,290 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $100.09 | $208,180 | $57,290 | $517,910 | 4,080 | 0.83 | 0.63 |
| 23 | Delaware profile | $96.15 | $199,990 | $119,990 | $523,940 | 390 | 0.81 | 0.61 |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | $95.59 | $198,830 | $64,520 | $474,740 | 4,700 | 1.43 | 1.09 |
| 25 | Minnesota profile | $94.07 | $195,670 | $92,540 | $449,270 | 6,740 | 2.29 | 1.74 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $87.66 | $182,340 | $73,970 | $432,240 | 670 | 1.31 | 1.00 |
| 27 | Kentucky profile | $86.31 | $179,530 | $72,800 | $466,660 | 2,070 | 1.03 | 0.79 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $85.20 | $177,210 | $103,360 | $403,230 | 2,920 | 3.40 | 2.59 |
| 29 | Ohio profile | $84.83 | $176,440 | $79,390 | $484,820 | 4,470 | 0.81 | 0.61 |
| 30 | Vermont profile | $84.17 | $175,070 | $108,300 | $428,080 | 360 | 1.17 | 0.89 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $82.85 | $172,320 | $75,040 | $416,060 | 2,550 | 0.87 | 0.66 |
| 32 | Utah profile | $82.64 | $171,880 | $72,480 | $424,690 | 3,140 | 1.81 | 1.38 |
| 33 | South Carolina profile | $81.17 | $168,840 | $49,760 | $393,490 | 1,740 | 0.76 | 0.57 |
| 34 | New Hampshire profile | $81.05 | $168,590 | $103,990 | $397,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 35 | Alaska profile | $80.15 | $166,710 | $75,870 | $428,990 | 640 | 1.98 | 1.51 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $80.01 | $166,420 | $101,670 | $317,400 | 810 | 0.38 | 0.29 |
| 37 | North Dakota profile | $79.12 | $164,560 | $104,590 | $464,030 | 380 | 0.88 | 0.67 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $78.74 | $163,790 | $68,630 | $387,310 | 2,390 | 1.40 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $76.01 | $158,100 | $51,120 | $453,350 | 1,960 | 1.36 | 1.04 |
| 40 | West Virginia profile | $73.05 | $151,950 | $72,160 | $403,020 | 1,700 | 2.42 | 1.84 |
| 41 | Nevada profile | $72.01 | $149,770 | $58,670 | $517,310 | 1,370 | 0.89 | 0.67 |
| 42 | Wyoming profile | $71.13 | $147,940 | $34,690 | $276,940 | 60 | 0.22 | 0.17 |
| 43 | Mississippi profile | $66.95 | $139,250 | $101,930 | $304,040 | 310 | 0.27 | 0.20 |
| 44 | Maine profile | $66.72 | $138,770 | $73,680 | $401,950 | 1,580 | 2.47 | 1.88 |
| 45 | New Mexico profile | $59.38 | $123,500 | $43,710 | $302,440 | 100 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $57.69 | $119,990 | $49,830 | $330,480 | 3,550 | 2.72 | 2.07 |
| – | Massachusetts profile | * | * | * | * | 6,590 | 1.81 | 1.38 |
Part of Management Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 11-1011 Chief Executives.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 11-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.