Executive Director Salaries in California
How Much Does an Executive Director Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Executive Director in California is $170,513.
While Salary.com is seeing that Executive Director salary in CA can go up to $226,428
or down to $121,373, but most earn between $144,791 and $199,781.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Executive Director
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Similar Job Salaries to Executive Director by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
Seneca Family of Agencies
Executive Director
|
$114,084/yr
|
RANGE: $98,745 - $129,423
|
|
Pacific ExecSearch
Executive Director
|
$179,653/yr
|
RANGE: $159,365 - $199,941
|
|
Pacific Staffing
Executive Director
|
$179,653/yr
|
RANGE: $159,365 - $199,941
|
|
Habitat Health
Executive Director
|
$130,608/yr
|
RANGE: $114,667 - $146,549
|
|
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Executive Director
|
$196,436/yr
|
RANGE: $175,544 - $217,329
|
|
ASSOCIATION OF ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS
Executive Director
|
$173,369/yr
|
RANGE: $154,599 - $192,140
|
|
Oakmont Senior Living
Executive Director
|
$109,522/yr
|
RANGE: $96,019 - $123,024
|
|
Congregation Sherith Israel
Executive Director
|
$187,048/yr
|
RANGE: $167,792 - $206,304
|
|
LCS
Executive Director
|
$168,779/yr
|
RANGE: $148,072 - $189,487
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Executive Director Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where an Executive Director can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Executive Director job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Executive Director jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Executive Director positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Executive Director salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Executive Director salary is $194,985 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Executive Director salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for an Executive Director in California is $170,513,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Executive Director jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Executive Director jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $194,985 | $16,249 | $3,750 | $94 |
| Santa Clara | $194,985 | $16,249 | $3,750 | $94 |
| Fremont | $194,614 | $16,218 | $3,743 | $94 |
| San Francisco | $193,068 | $16,089 | $3,713 | $93 |
| Daly City | $193,068 | $16,089 | $3,713 | $93 |
| Berkeley | $188,786 | $15,732 | $3,630 | $91 |
| Oakland | $188,786 | $15,732 | $3,630 | $91 |
| Hayward | $188,477 | $15,706 | $3,625 | $91 |
| Antioch | $178,119 | $14,843 | $3,425 | $86 |
| Vallejo | $173,914 | $14,493 | $3,345 | $84 |
What Does an Executive Director Do?
Top 5 executive director interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates.
Updated November 07, 2021
Some nonprofits elevate an executive director to a CEO if the organization has grown in both revenues and paid staff.
Updated October 17, 2021
Executive directors are of various types depending on the number of functions present within an organization like marketing directors, finance directors, director for information technology and managing directors.
Updated October 13, 2021
The executive director is also responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization, which includes managing committees and staff as well as developing business plans in collaboration with the board.
Updated December 21, 2021
Åsa Regnér, Deputy Executive Director for Policy, Programme, Civil Society and Intergovernmental Support.
Updated December 20, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About an Executive Director Salaries
What is the average of an Executive Director in California?
The Executive Director salary range is from $144,791 to $199,781, and the average Executive Director salary is $170,513/year in California.
The Executive Director's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Executive Director salary in the United States?
The Executive Director salary in San Jose, CA is $194,985
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Executive Director's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Executive Director.
What is the growth rate of the Executive Director's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming an Executive Director or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of an Executive Director.
