Chief Executives Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for chief executives is $213,990, or $102.88 per hour. About 204,350 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $341,630 in Oregon to $119,990 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 46 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $341,630 | $164.25 | 910 | 0.35 |
| 2 | Washington | $339,810 | $163.37 | 3,170 | 0.68 |
| 3 | Illinois | $331,920 | $159.58 | 4,620 | 0.58 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $314,290 | $151.10 | 1,930 | 0.30 |
| 5 | Virginia | $310,740 | $149.40 | 4,870 | 0.90 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $310,440 | $149.25 | 2,430 | 0.43 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $295,120 | $141.89 | 1,660 | 0.74 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $281,640 | $135.41 | 470 | 0.57 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $280,900 | $135.05 | 510 | 0.84 |
| 10 | New York | $257,980 | $124.03 | 8,430 | 0.66 |
| 11 | Texas | $257,850 | $123.97 | 8,780 | 0.47 |
| 12 | Michigan | $255,560 | $122.86 | 4,950 | 0.86 |
| 13 | Indiana | $254,180 | $122.20 | 1,820 | 0.43 |
| 14 | Maryland | $248,660 | $119.55 | 3,180 | 0.88 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $235,360 | $113.15 | 460 | 0.70 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $232,560 | $111.81 | 8,850 | 1.11 |
| 17 | California | $218,600 | $105.10 | 34,700 | 1.45 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $214,680 | $103.21 | 2,510 | 1.87 |
| 19 | Colorado | $213,370 | $102.58 | — | — |
| 20 | Iowa | $211,190 | $101.54 | 3,050 | 1.49 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $208,350 | $100.17 | — | — |
| 22 | Georgia | $208,180 | $100.09 | 4,080 | 0.63 |
| 23 | Delaware | $199,990 | $96.15 | 390 | 0.61 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $198,830 | $95.59 | 4,700 | 1.09 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $195,670 | $94.07 | 6,740 | 1.74 |
| 26 | Montana | $182,340 | $87.66 | 670 | 1.00 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $179,530 | $86.31 | 2,070 | 0.79 |
| 28 | Idaho | $177,210 | $85.20 | 2,920 | 2.59 |
| 29 | Ohio | $176,440 | $84.83 | 4,470 | 0.61 |
| 30 | Vermont | $175,070 | $84.17 | 360 | 0.89 |
| 31 | Missouri | $172,320 | $82.85 | 2,550 | 0.66 |
| 32 | Utah | $171,880 | $82.64 | 3,140 | 1.38 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $168,840 | $81.17 | 1,740 | 0.57 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $168,590 | $81.05 | — | — |
| 35 | Alaska | $166,710 | $80.15 | 640 | 1.51 |
| 36 | Alabama | $166,420 | $80.01 | 810 | 0.29 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $164,560 | $79.12 | 380 | 0.67 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $163,790 | $78.74 | 2,390 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Kansas | $158,100 | $76.01 | 1,960 | 1.04 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $151,950 | $73.05 | 1,700 | 1.84 |
| 41 | Nevada | $149,770 | $72.01 | 1,370 | 0.67 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $147,940 | $71.13 | 60 | 0.17 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $139,250 | $66.95 | 310 | 0.20 |
| 44 | Maine | $138,770 | $66.72 | 1,580 | 1.88 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $123,500 | $59.38 | 100 | 0.09 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $119,990 | $57.69 | 3,550 | 2.07 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chief executives make?
The median annual wage for chief executives in the United States is $213,990, or $102.88 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $75,700, and the top 10% earn $507,730.
How many chief executives are employed in the U.S.?
About 204,350 people work as chief executives nationwide.
Which state pays chief executives the most?
Oregon pays the most at a median of $341,630, followed by Washington ($339,810) and Illinois ($331,920).
Which state pays chief executives the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $119,990.
Where are chief executives jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Idaho at 2.59×.