The median total compensation for nonprofit executive directors is $91,944. The middle 50% earn between $41,065 and $177,542. At the high end, the 90th percentile reaches $316,565. Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and other reportable compensation as disclosed on IRS Form 990.
These figures are based on 127,119 compensation records extracted from public IRS Form 990 filings. Unlike self-reported salary surveys, 990 data is filed under penalty of perjury, making it one of the most reliable sources for nonprofit compensation benchmarking. Compensation varies substantially by organization size, geographic location, and sector. For example, the median Executive Director at a nonprofit with revenue under $1m earns $50k, while at organizations with revenue over $100m, the median is $549k.
How does Executive Director pay scale with org size?
Median total compensation by nonprofit annual revenue for four executive roles. The shaded area shows the 25th to 75th percentile range for executive directors. Hover for details.
Show data as table
| Org Revenue | 25th | Median | 75th | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $1M | $21,670 | $50,000 | $83,000 | 58,104 |
| $1M - $5M | $74,696 | $118,008 | $173,061 | 36,116 |
| $5M - $25M | $129,665 | $194,889 | $282,457 | 21,121 |
| $25M - $100M | $197,861 | $311,751 | $459,536 | 7,859 |
| Over $100M | $268,948 | $548,541 | $972,550 | 3,919 |
How does Executive Director pay compare to other roles?
Median total compensation for common nonprofit leadership roles, from IRS Form 990 data.
Where are nonprofit executive directors positions concentrated?
Cities with the most Executive Director positions reporting compensation data.
Executive Director Compensation by State
States with the highest median compensation for nonprofit executive directors.
Compare Executive Director compensation
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Sample records
Actual compensation from IRS Form 990 filings.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a nonprofit Executive Director typically earn?
- Compensation varies widely depending on the organization. At small nonprofits with revenue under $1M, executive directors may earn under $50,000. At large organizations with budgets over $100M, median compensation can exceed $548,541. The national median across all nonprofit sizes is $91,944.
- Why does organization budget matter so much for Executive Director pay?
- Larger nonprofits handle more complex finances, larger teams, and greater regulatory requirements. A Executive Director overseeing a $200M budget has a fundamentally different job than one managing $500K. The IRS Form 990 data reflects this: compensation scales with organizational complexity, not just revenue. Geographic cost of living and sector also play significant roles.
- Which states pay nonprofit executive directors the most?
- District of Columbia leads with a median of $192,386, followed by Virginia at $113,750 and Massachusetts at $110,704. Higher-paying states generally have higher costs of living and larger concentrations of well-funded nonprofits. Use the search tool above to filter by any state or city.
- How is this data different from salary surveys?
- Most salary data online comes from self-reported surveys or job posting estimates. This data comes from IRS Form 990 filings, which are legal documents filed under penalty of perjury. Every tax-exempt organization with gross receipts over $200,000 must report compensation for officers, directors, and highest-paid employees. The result is a more complete and reliable dataset than voluntary survey responses.
- How does Executive Director pay compare to other nonprofit executive roles?
- The median nonprofit Executive Director earns $91,944. Other common roles: CFO at $88,923, COO at $140,785, Development Director at $141,943. Differences reflect scope of responsibility, market demand, and typical organization size for each role.