Chief Executives
Business, Management and AdministrationO*NET 11-1011.00United States
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. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.
- Median annual earnings
- $177,157
- Projected change
- +10.4%
- Typical education
- Master's or Professional degree
- Employment
- 299.14K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
50.4% of the workforce
Growing to 330.17K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What chief executives do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Negotiate or approve contracts or agreements with suppliers, distributors, federal or state agencies, or other organizational entities.
- Review reports submitted by staff members to recommend approval or to suggest changes.
- 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.
- Establish departmental responsibilities and coordinate functions among departments and sites.
- Deliver speeches, write articles, or present information at meetings or conventions to promote services, exchange ideas, or accomplish objectives.
- Serve as liaisons between organizations, shareholders, and outside organizations.
- Preside over, or serve on, boards of directors, management committees, or other governing boards.
- Coordinate the development or implementation of budgetary control systems, recordkeeping systems, or other administrative control processes.
- Attend and participate in meetings of municipal councils or council committees.
- Organize or approve promotional campaigns.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $58,085
- 25th percentile
- $104,513
- 50th percentile
- $177,157
- 75th percentile
- $309,673
- 90th percentile
- $480,899
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $177,157 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+10.4%faster than average
2025299,144 jobs
2035 projected330,166 jobs
31,022 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Master's or Professional degree
- 50.4%
- Bachelor's degree
- 32.3%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 7.7%
- Associate degree
- 5.2%
- High school diploma or less
- 4.5%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Chiefs of Staff3,750 postings
- 02Executive Directors2,322 postings
- 03Chief Operating Officers2,314 postings
- 04Chief Executive Officers1,958 postings
- 05Directors of Finance1,227 postings
- 06Program Directors618 postings
- 07City Managers607 postings
- 08Public Works Directors451 postings
- 09Directors/Chiefs of Staff414 postings
- 10Public Affairs Specialists369 postings
- 11Assistant Directors of Public Works362 postings
- 12Presidents/Chief Executive Officers328 postings
- 13Public Information Officers310 postings
- 14Chief Operations Officers302 postings
- 15Education Program Directors297 postings
- 16Benefits Specialists269 postings
- 17City Administrators264 postings
- 18Directors of Economic Development259 postings
- 19Affordable Housing Specialists240 postings
- 20Assistant Directors239 postings
Top employers
- 01Lumen Technologies412 postings
- 02State of Washington374 postings
- 03Capital One312 postings
- 04Banfield Pet Hospital238 postings
- 05New York City233 postings
- 06YMCA228 postings
- 07International City/County Management Association220 postings
- 08Futuresight211 postings
- 09KPMG192 postings
- 10Encompass Health173 postings
- 11Robert Half170 postings
- 12United States Department of Veterans Affairs169 postings
- 13Department Of Human Services167 postings
- 14Cherry Bekaert150 postings
- 15American Operator121 postings
- 16Spectrum Center Schools And Programs120 postings
- 17JPMorgan Chase119 postings
- 18Chancelight Behavioral Health, Therapy And Education115 postings
- 19Herc109 postings
- 20Catholic Charities USA105 postings
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