*INCREASE AND DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE* IS THE MISSION SET FORTH BY JAMES SMITHSON. THE SMITHSONIAN ENDEAVORS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE BY PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE, DISCOVERING NEW KNOWLEDGE, AND SHARING OUR RESOURCES WITH THE WORLD.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 27 reported individuals · Filing year 2023
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $449k
- Bonus
- $694k
- Other
- $5k
- Benefits
- $2k
- Base
- $877k
- Bonus
- $30k
- Other
- $9k
- Benefits
- $26k
- Base
- $277k
- Bonus
- $423k
- Other
- $440
- Benefits
- $41k
- Base
- $264k
- Bonus
- $384k
- Other
- $603
- Benefits
- $13k
- Base
- $587k
- Bonus
- $25k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $2k
- Base
- $241k
- Bonus
- $332k
- Other
- $257
- Benefits
- $46k
- Base
- $402k
- Bonus
- $127k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $22k
- Base
- $476k
- Bonus
- $4k
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $28k
- Base
- $453k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- $1k
- Benefits
- $25k
- Base
- $433k
- Bonus
- $8k
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $41k
- Base
- $451k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $12k
- Base
- $429k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- $6k
- Benefits
- $28k
- Base
- $432k
- Bonus
- $4k
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $23k
- Base
- $353k
- Bonus
- $4k
- Other
- $8k
- Benefits
- $17k
- Base
- $296k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- $466
- Benefits
- $28k
- Base
- $242k
- Bonus
- $3k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $24k
- Base
- $273k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $19k
- Base
- $248k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- $263
- Benefits
- $1k
- Base
- $221k
- Bonus
- $5k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $25k
- Base
- $207k
- Bonus
- $15k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $16k
- Base
- $200k
- Bonus
- $10k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $26k
- Base
- $195k
- Bonus
- $10k
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $26k
- Base
- $172k
- Bonus
- $750
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $808
- Base
- $195k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- —
- Base
- $157k
- Bonus
- $4k
- Other
- $1k
- Benefits
- $13k
- Base
- $135k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $2k
- Base
- $102k
- Bonus
- $3k
- Other
- $95
- Benefits
- $976
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chief Investment Officer Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $449k | $694k | $5k | $2k | $1.2M $1.3M |
Secretary of the Smithsonian Secretary (Operational) Above 90th percentile | $877k | $30k | $9k | $26k | $990k $1.1M |
Investment Officer Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in District of Columbia | $277k | $423k | $440 | $41k | $783k $858k |
Investment Officer Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in District of Columbia | $264k | $384k | $603 | $13k | $698k $766k |
Deputy Secretary & COO Secretary (Operational) Above 90th percentile | $587k | $25k | $2k | $2k | $664k $727k |
Investment Officer Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in District of Columbia | $241k | $332k | $257 | $46k | $657k $720k |
President, Smithsonian Enterprises Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $402k | $127k | $2k | $22k | $602k $659k |
Under Sec for Fin/admin & CFO Above 90th percentile | $476k | $4k | $3k | $28k | $559k $613k |
Dir, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculptue Garden Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in District of Columbia | $453k | $5k | $1k | $25k | $533k $584k |
Assistant Secretary for Advancement Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $433k | $8k | $3k | $41k | $532k $583k |
Dir Sackler Gallery/freer Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Arts, Culture & Humanities peers in District of Columbia | $451k | $5k | — | $12k | $516k $566k |
Under Sec for History & Culture Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $429k | $5k | $6k | $28k | $516k $565k |
Under Sec for Science & Research Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $432k | $4k | $3k | $23k | $510k $559k |
Fmr, Sr. Scholar and Amb-at-large Former Officer/director/trustee Above 90th percentile | $353k | $4k | $8k | $17k | $438k $481k |
Asst Sec. for Comm/ext Affairs & CMO Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $296k | $5k | $466 | $28k | $373k $409k |
Fmr, Acting Asst Sec. for Advancement Former Officer/director/trustee 75th to 90th percentile | $242k | $3k | — | $24k | $304k $333k |
Fmr, Inspector General Former Officer/director/trustee 75th to 90th percentile | $273k | — | — | $19k | $292k $320k |
Chief of Staff to the Regents Officer (Unspecified) | $248k | $5k | $263 | $1k | $290k $318k |
Dir, Ofc of Plng, Dsgn & Const Key Employee 75th to 90th percentile | $221k | $5k | — | $25k | $262k $287k |
General Counsel (acting) Officer (Unspecified) | $207k | $15k | — | $16k | $249k $272k |
Fmr, Acting Under Sec. for Administr Former Officer/director/trustee 75th to 90th percentile | $200k | $10k | — | $26k | $244k $268k |
Inspector General (acting) Officer (Unspecified) | $195k | $10k | — | $26k | $241k $264k |
Fmr Dir, Harvard-smithsonian Center Former Officer/director/trustee 75th to 90th percentile | $172k | $750 | $3k | $808 | $198k $217k |
Fmr, Acting Under Sec. for Sci & Rsc Former Officer/director/trustee 75th to 90th percentile | $195k | — | — | — | $195k $214k |
Fmr, General Counsel Former Officer/director/trustee Median to 75th percentile | $157k | $4k | $1k | $13k | $182k $199k |
Fmr Dir, Equal Employment & Supplier Diversity Former Officer/director/trustee Median to 75th percentile | $135k | — | — | $2k | $136k $149k |
Fmr Dir, Smithsonian Faciilities Former Officer/director/trustee 25th percentile to median | $102k | $3k | $95 | $976 | $106k $117k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 19 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2023, the highest total compensation at SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION equaled 0.1% 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.
Up 4%
from 2022
From $1.2M in 2022 to $1.2M in 2023.
Estimated with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Key Employee pay rose 4% from 2022 to 2023, while revenue rose 4%.
- Secretary (Operational) pay rose 6% from 2022 to 2023.
- Highest Compensated Employee pay rose 3% from 2022 to 2023.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2023.
Revenue and expenses over time
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION reported revenue and expenses across 2 filing years.
What Arts, Culture & Humanities executives earn in District of Columbia
Comparable arts, culture & humanities organizations in District of Columbia pay their highest-earning executive a median of $117,139.
These are arts, culture & humanities sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 309 organizations across 309 filings (2022 – 2024).
See full Arts, Culture & Humanities pay data for District of Columbia →Common questions about SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
What does the Key Employee of SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION earn?
In 2023, the Key Employee of SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION received $1,198,017 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Key Employee roles among Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Key Employee pay at SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Arts, Culture & Humanities organizations nationwide, the 2023 pay of the Key Employee at SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION falls in the top 10%. In 2023, the highest total compensation at SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION equaled 0.1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for arts, culture & humanities organizations is 11%.
What are SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION's revenue and expenses?
In 2023, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION reported $2B in total revenue and $1.7B in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
Compare any role, sector, or revenue band
Build your own benchmark from millions of reported positions.
Learn More About Nonprofit Compensation
Guides to help you understand and use this data
Nonprofit CFO Salary
What nonprofit CFOs earn, what drives the number, and how to use public compensation data in a job search or negotiation.
Read moreHow to Look Up Nonprofit Salaries
Two approaches to finding executive compensation at any tax-exempt organization, from raw IRS filings to searchable databases.
Read moreAre Nonprofit Salaries Public?
What IRS Form 990 discloses about executive compensation, who has to report it, and how to look it up.
Read more