AT PHILADELPHIA ZOO, OUR MISSION IS TO FLOURISH AS AN URBAN OASIS, WHERE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS THRIVE, TRANSFORMATIONAL MEMORIES ARE MADE, AND OUR PASSION FOR CONSERVATION SAVES WILDLIFE (SEE SCHEDULE O).GUIDED BY A THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THE ZOO IS SEEKING TO BOTH STRENGTHEN AND DIVERSIFY REVENUE LINES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN ITS HISTORIC CAMPUS AND PROTECT ITS PRECIOUS ANIMAL COLLECTION. THE ZOO SEEKS TO BE IMPACTFUL THROUGH 6 IMPACT AREAS: AMAZING ANIMALS, TRANSFORMATIONAL MEMORIES, CONNECTED SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION COMMUNITIES, INNOVATIVE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT, UNITED TEAM AND CULTURE AND STRATEGIC FINANCIAL GROWTH.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 11 reported individuals · Filing year 2024
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Animal-Related organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $546k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $22k
- Base
- $283k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $33k
- Base
- $255k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $33k
- Base
- $206k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $14k
- Base
- $191k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $27k
- Base
- $168k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $22k
- Base
- $175k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $14k
- Base
- $158k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $20k
- Base
- $145k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $33k
- Base
- $151k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- —
- Base
- $145k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- —
- Benefits
- $3k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
President and CEO Above 90th percentilevs Animal-Related peers in Pennsylvania | $546k | — | — | $22k | $588k $632k |
Chief Development Officer Above 90th percentile | $283k | — | — | $33k | $331k $356k |
Chief Financial Officer Above 90th percentile | $255k | — | — | $33k | $302k $325k |
Vp, Animal Well Being Board Vice President 75th to 90th percentile | $206k | — | — | $14k | $230k $247k |
Vp, Guest Engagement Board Vice President 75th to 90th percentile | $191k | — | — | $27k | $224k $241k |
Director, Marketing Director (Operational) Above 90th percentile | $168k | — | — | $22k | $199k $214k |
Director, IT Chief Information Officer Median to 75th percentilevs all sectors nationwide | $175k | — | — | $14k | $198k $213k |
Chief of Staff Officer (Unspecified) | $158k | — | — | $20k | $186k $200k |
Creative Director Highest Compensated Employee 75th to 90th percentile | $145k | — | — | $33k | $185k $200k |
Chief Admin Officer (thru 09/24) Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $151k | — | — | — | $159k $171k |
Director, Individual Giving Highest Compensated Employee Median to 75th percentile | $145k | — | — | $3k | $156k $167k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 38 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2024, the highest total compensation at ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA equaled 1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for animal-related organizations is 8%.
Based on 3,692 animal-related 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.
Held steady
from 2023
From $584k in 2023 to $588k in 2024.
Estimated with Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into April 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Chief Executive Officer pay rose 1% from 2023 to 2024, while revenue rose 1%.
- Chief Development Officer pay rose 19% from 2023 to 2024.
- Chief Financial Officer pay rose 23% from 2023 to 2024.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2023 and 2024.
Among peers
Revenue and top compensation, plotted against similar organizations. This organization is highlighted in cyan.
Common questions about ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA
What does the Chief Executive Officer of ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA earn?
In 2024, the Chief Executive Officer of ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA received $587,706 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Chief Executive Officer roles among Animal-Related organizations in Pennsylvania: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Chief Executive Officer pay at ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Animal-Related organizations in Pennsylvania, the 2024 pay of the Chief Executive Officer at ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA falls in the top 10%. In 2024, the highest total compensation at ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA equaled 1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for animal-related organizations is 8%.
What are ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA's revenue and expenses?
In 2024, ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA reported $43.7M in total revenue and $44.3M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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