The salary of a Chief Executive Officer in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Chief Executive Officer in the United States is $897,916. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $496,864 to a high of $1,350,265, with most professionals earning between $687,991 and $1,134,693.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $1,134,693 | $94,558 | $21,821 | $546 |
| Average | $897,916 | $74,826 | $17,268 | $432 |
| 25th Percentile | $687,991 | $57,333 | $13,231 | $331 |
An entry-level Chief Executive Officer with less than 1 year of experience earns about $746,238. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $765,914. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $792,149. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $831,501, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $880,692.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Chief Executive Officer | $746,238 |
| Intermediate Level Chief Executive Officer | $765,914 |
| Senior Level Chief Executive Officer | $792,149 |
| Specialist Level Chief Executive Officer | $831,501 |
| Expert Level Chief Executive Officer | $880,692 |
| Entry Level | 17% |
| Mid Level | 15% |
| Senior Level | 12% |
| Top Level | 7% |
| Experienced | 2% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Chief Executive Officer compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $273,062 in 2023 to approximately $269,796 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Chief Executive Officer salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
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Here are companies hiring for Chief Executive Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $897,916 | 54.5% | ||
| Bonus | $487,328 | 29.6% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $30,539 | 1.9% | ||
| 401K/403B | $10,500 | 0.6% | ||
| Disability | $27,705 | 1.7% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 0.5% | ||
| Pension | $13,500 | 0.8% | ||
| Time Off | $170,492 | 10.4% | ||
| Total Compensation | $1,646,332 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 1.4% |
| High School | 6.8% |
| Associates | 4.6% |
| Bachelors | 36.9% |
| Masters | 40.3% |
| Doctorate | 10.0% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Chief Executive Officer is $897,916. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Chief Executive Officer is $432; the average weekly pay of Chief Executive Officer is $17,268; the average monthly pay of Chief Executive Officer is $74,826.
A Chief Executive Officer's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Chief Executive Officer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Chief Executive Officer is $1,126,885.
The highest pay for Chief Executive Officer is $1,350,265.
The lowest pay for Chief Executive Officer is $496,864.
Chief Executive Officer is responsible for an organization's short and long-term profitability and growth. Defines and executes the company's vision, mission, and long-term goals. Being a Chief Executive Officer organizes leadership and staff to meet strategic goals. Collaborates with C-suite executives to provide strategic guidance and technical oversight to drive business efficiencies and competitive advantages. Additionally, Chief Executive Officer ensures appropriate governance and controls to mitigate risks and protect the organization. Prepares and presents summary reports and technical presentations to represent the organization to investors, board members, and government agencies. May require an advanced degree. Typically reports to board of directors. Aligns the company's long-term vision with actionable plans. Responsible for building relationships with key stakeholders, including the board of directors, investors, partners, and regulators. Provides overall vision, direction, and leadership for an organization. Develops organizational strategic initiatives and guides business operations. Defines key metrics and sets KPIs for organization. To be a Chief Executive Officer typically requires extensive leadership experience in senior management or executive roles. Has extensive industry and/or operational knowledge. Past leadership of a company or business unit, including overall P&L responsibility.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Health Care: Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration, or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people.
Childcare: Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time. Child care is a broad topic that covers a wide spectrum of professionals, institutions, contexts, activities, and social and cultural conventions.
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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
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