FOUNDED IN 1917, THE SEATTLE ART MUSEUM (SAM) CONNECTS ART TO LIFE. AS THE LEADING VISUAL ART INSTITUTION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, SAM DRAWS ON ITS GLOBAL COLLECTIONS, POWERFUL SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS, NUMEROUS INSTALLATIONS, AND DYNAMIC PROGRAMS TO FULFILL ITS IMPORTANT ROLE AS A CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE BENEFITTING THE SEATTLE REGION, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, AND BEYOND. FROM A STRONG FOUNDATION OF ASIAN ART TO NOTEWORTHY COLLECTIONS OF AFRICAN AND OCEANIC ART, NORTHWEST COAST NATIVE AMERICAN ART, EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ART, AND MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART, THE STRENGTH OF SAM'S COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 25,000 OBJECTS LIES IN ITS DIVERSITY OF MEDIA, CULTURES, AND TIME PERIODS. WITH THREE LOCATIONS (SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, OLYMPIC SCULPTURE PARK, SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM), SAM HARNESSES THE POWER OF ART TO ENRICH LIVES AND ENGAGE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS, AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF SEATTLE-AREA STUDENTS.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 11 reported individuals · Filing year 2023
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $333k
- Bonus
- $53k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $7k
- Base
- $223k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
- Base
- $216k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
- Base
- $210k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
- Base
- $206k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $1k
- Base
- $167k
- Bonus
- $8k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- —
- Base
- $149k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
- Base
- $147k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
- Base
- $145k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $8k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Dir. Officer (Unspecified) | $333k | $53k | — | $7k | $403k $446k |
Chief Development Officer 75th to 90th percentile | $223k | — | — | $8k | $239k $264k |
Susan Brotman Deputy Dir. of Art Key Employee 75th to 90th percentile | $216k | — | — | $8k | $227k $252k |
Chief Financial Officer 75th to 90th percentile | $210k | — | — | $8k | $225k $249k |
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Dir. & COO 75th to 90th percentile | $206k | — | — | $1k | $212k $235k |
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Dir. Officer (Unspecified) | $167k | $8k | — | — | $181k $200k |
Chief Marketing Officer Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $149k | — | — | $8k | $162k $179k |
Director of Museum Services Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $147k | — | — | $8k | $159k $176k |
Chief Conservator Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $145k | — | — | $8k | $158k $174k |
Dir. of Legal Affairs & Counsel Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | — | — | — | — | $149k $165k |
Director of Technology Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | — | — | — | — | $148k $163k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 65 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2023, the highest total compensation at SEATTLE ART MUSEUM equaled 1.0% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
Based on 17,098 arts, culture & humanities organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
Down 18%
from 2022
From $491k in 2022 to $403k in 2023.
Estimated with Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Chief Development Officer pay rose 8% from 2022 to 2023, while revenue rose 30%.
- Chief Financial Officer pay rose 1% from 2022 to 2023.
- Chief Operating Officer pay rose 19% from 2022 to 2023.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2023.
Among peers
Revenue and top compensation, plotted against similar organizations. This organization is highlighted in cyan.
Common questions about SEATTLE ART MUSEUM
What does the Chief Development Officer of SEATTLE ART MUSEUM earn?
In 2023, the Chief Development Officer of SEATTLE ART MUSEUM received $238,986 in total compensation. This pay is in the top quarter for Chief Development Officer roles among Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide, though not the top 10% of comparable filings. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Chief Development Officer pay at SEATTLE ART MUSEUM compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide, the 2023 pay of the Chief Development Officer at SEATTLE ART MUSEUM falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles. In 2023, the highest total compensation at SEATTLE ART MUSEUM equaled 1.0% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
What are SEATTLE ART MUSEUM's revenue and expenses?
In 2023, SEATTLE ART MUSEUM reported $38.9M in total revenue and $41.6M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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