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How Much Does a CEO Make?

A CEO in the US earns a median salary of $213,990 a year, or $102.88 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $269,630, and the middle half earn between $129,540 and $356,200.

Median a year $213,990
Median an hour $102.88
Median a month $17,833
Average a year $269,630

CEO pay range

What CEOs earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $75,700 $36.39
25th $129,540 $62.28
Median (50th) $213,990 $102.88
75th $356,200 $171.25
90th (top 10%) $507,730 $244.10

The median is 320% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 204,350 people work as CEOs in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$4,115
Every two weeks
$8,230
Twice a month
$8,916
A month
$17,833

At the median salary, before tax.

CEO salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Oregon pays CEOs the most, at $403,380 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Oregon $403,380 $341,630 910 After tax
Connecticut $376,840 $295,120 1,660 After tax
New Jersey $372,910 $310,440 2,430 After tax
Washington $360,290 $339,810 3,170 After tax
New York $351,160 $257,980 8,430 After tax
North Carolina $347,690 $314,290 1,930 After tax
Illinois $347,550 $331,920 4,620 After tax
Rhode Island $341,100 $235,360 460 After tax
Virginia $340,580 $310,740 4,870 After tax
South Dakota $336,560 $280,900 510 After tax
Texas $310,660 $257,850 8,780 After tax
Pennsylvania $302,990 $232,560 8,850 After tax
Hawaii $302,620 $281,640 470 After tax
Maryland $299,580 $248,660 3,180 After tax
Michigan $298,740 $255,560 4,950 After tax
Indiana $284,910 $254,180 1,820 After tax
Delaware $277,630 $199,990 390 After tax
Georgia $275,840 $208,180 4,080 After tax
California $272,920 $218,600 34,700 After tax
Nebraska $264,120 $214,680 2,510 After tax
Ohio $254,170 $176,440 4,470 After tax
Wisconsin $252,660 $208,350 – After tax
Vermont $250,520 $175,070 360 After tax
Minnesota $246,240 $195,670 6,740 After tax
Colorado $240,440 $213,370 – After tax
Tennessee $239,970 $198,830 4,700 After tax
Kentucky $238,100 $179,530 2,070 After tax
Iowa $237,270 $211,190 3,050 After tax
Nevada $235,840 $149,770 1,370 After tax
North Dakota $225,920 $164,560 380 After tax
Utah $225,320 $171,880 3,140 After tax
Montana $223,550 $182,340 670 After tax
Kansas $222,710 $158,100 1,960 After tax
Missouri $222,200 $172,320 2,550 After tax
Idaho $221,580 $177,210 2,920 After tax
New Hampshire $221,460 $168,590 – After tax
Alaska $220,770 $166,710 640 After tax
South Carolina $211,720 $168,840 1,740 After tax
Alabama $201,200 $166,420 810 After tax
Oklahoma $200,930 $163,790 2,390 After tax
West Virginia $192,840 $151,950 1,700 After tax
Maine $191,480 $138,770 1,580 After tax
Mississippi $173,720 $139,250 310 After tax
Arkansas $164,930 $119,990 3,550 After tax
Wyoming $162,830 $147,940 60 After tax
New Mexico $152,720 $123,500 100 After tax
Virgin Islands $134,570 $104,010 130
Puerto Rico $127,540 $97,510 2,690

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other management jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Chief Executives” (SOC 11-1011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a CEO make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a CEO is $102.88, and the average is $129.63. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36.39 an hour and the top 10% over $244.10.

How much does a CEO make a month?

At the median salary of $213,990, a CEO earns about $17,833 a month before tax, or $8,230 every two weeks.

Which state pays CEOs the most?

Oregon has the highest average pay for a CEO, at $403,380 a year. Next are Connecticut and New Jersey. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a CEO?

The lowest-paid 10% of CEOs earn less than $75,700 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $129,540. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid CEOs make?

The top 10% earn more than $507,730 a year, and the top 25% more than $356,200.