Chief Executives
Also called: Aeronautics Commission Director, Agency Owner, Agricultural Services Director, Arts and Humanities Council Director, Bank President, Bureau Chief, Business Development Executive (BD Executive), Business Development Officer (BD Officer)
Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body.
What chief executives do
Typical tasks
- Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
- Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
- Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
- Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
- Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
- Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
- Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Direct human resources activities, including the approval of human resource plans or activities, the selection of directors or other high-level staff, or establishment or organization of major departments.
- Appoint department heads or managers and assign or delegate responsibilities to them.
- Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.
- Review reports submitted by staff members to recommend approval or to suggest changes.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Chief Executives salary
The median annual wage for chief executives is $213,990 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $75,700 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $507,730. The mean annual wage is $269,630.
The mean hourly wage of $129.00 is 17.8× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Chief Executives (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $213,990 → in 3 years $232,300 → in 5 years $245,400 → in 10 years $281,500 (10-year range $242,100–$326,800). The model assumes pay growth of +2.8% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Chief Executives
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Chief Executives? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Chief Executives
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Chief Executives United States | 起業、創業 Japan | 会社経営者 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $213,990 | — ≈ — | — ≈ — |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $281,500 | — | — |
| Outlook score | 64 | 44 | 55 |
| AI replacement risk | 56% Moderate | 51% Moderate | 54% Moderate |
| Workers | 204K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Chief Executives
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 5 — extensive preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become chief executives
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as chief executives
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.