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Updated through 2024NTEE A · Arts, Culture & Humanities

Arts, Culture & Humanities nonprofitexecutive pay

Median top-executive pay across 17,106 arts, culture & humanities nonprofits, 2019 – 2024. Each organization is counted once at its most recent filing, using the highest-paid leader reported on IRS Form 990, Schedule J.

Organizations that promote the arts, culture, and the humanities, including performing and visual arts, museums, historical societies, and humanities programs.

Median executive pay
$58,760
The typical arts, culture & humanities nonprofit's highest-paid executive earns $58,760 in total reported compensation.
25th pct
$23k
75th pct
$106k
90th pct
$191k
17,106 organizations · 2019 – 2024
Percentile distribution

Where the middle 50% lands.

Half earn between $23k and $106k. That band is the interquartile range. The 90th percentile sits at $191k, roughly 3.2 times the median. That upper tail is where the largest organizations cluster.

PercentileTotal compMeans
90th$190,896Top 10% of earners
75th$105,94425% earn more than this
50th · median$58,760The typical executive
25th$22,69025% earn less than this
10th$7,10010% of executives earn less than this
By organization size

Bigger budgets, bigger paychecks.

Median executive pay rises with organization revenue. Each band shows the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of top-executive pay for arts, culture & humanities nonprofits in that revenue range.

Revenue band25thMedian75thOrgs
Under $1M$14k$37,456$67k11,916
$1M – $10M$87k$125,000$180k4,363
$10M – $100M$240k$342,226$522k774
$100M – $500M$569k$823,592$1.4M49
Revenue bands with fewer than 5 organizations are not shown.
Geography

Pay varies by state.

District of Columbia pays $59,352 more than the national median across arts, culture & humanities nonprofits.

By role

Benchmark a specific Arts, Culture & Humanities role

Drill into median pay for individual leadership roles within arts, culture & humanities nonprofits.

Board & trustee pay

Arts, Culture & Humanities board & trustee pay norms

9% of arts, culture & humanities nonprofits pay at least one board member or trustee, with a typical per-person payment of $16,516 across a median board of 4 paid members.

Organizations paying board members
9%
Median board pay
$16,516
Median paid board size
4
By filing type
Form 990: 10%
Form 990-EZ: 7%
Form 990-PF: 9%
Directory

Museums, performing arts organizations, historical societies, media outlets, and other nonprofits focused on arts, culture, and the humanities. Includes visual arts, music, theater, film, and cultural preservation. There are 43,040 arts, culture & humanities organizations in our database with compensation data from IRS Form 990 filings. Use the table below to browse them, or sort by revenue, location, or number of reported executives.

Organizations in Arts, Culture & Humanities

43,040 organizations · Page 491 of 861

Name
City
State
Revenue
Executives
FRYS LYON FOUNDATION INCThe VillagesFL$109k0
NASHVILLE BALLET FOUNDATIONNashvilleTN$109k2
SOUNDSCAPE COMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCE EXCHANGEWichitaKS$109k0
MPC-MOVIMIENTO PRO CULTURA INCMethuenMA$109k0
SIEMPRE FLAMENCO INCSurfsideFL$109k0
NATIONAL WEATHER MUSEUM AND SCIENCE CENTERNormanOK$109k0
BIKE FEST COOsage BeachMO$109k0
WHITEMARSH COMMUNITY ART CENTERConshohockenPA$109k1
Bath High School Preservation IncBathNC$109k0
Exeter Area New Car Dealers AssociationExeterNH$108k0
THE OPERA BUFFS INC CO MONA LANDSLos AngelesCA$108k1
TOLEDO FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM INCToledoOH$108k0
KEARNY POINT GARDENSHIP INCJersey CityNJ$108k0
ARTS COUNCIL OF THAYER COUNTYHebronNE$108k0
Western North Carolina Air MuseumHendersonvilleNC$108k0
WISCONSIN TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCOshkoshWI$108k0
Wisdom's Goldenrod LTDHectorNY$108k0
PORTAL CINEMASan FranciscoCA$108k0
ASA FOUNDATIONPalo AltoCA$108k1
PINE GROVE BAND BOOSTERSPine GrovePA$108k0
INDIANAPOLIS WOMENS CHORUSIndianapolisIN$108k0
ARCHER BAND BOOSTER ASSOCIATIONGraysonGA$108k0
BLENNERHASSETT HISTORICAL FOUNDATION INCParkersburgWV$108k0
BELIEVERS BOOKSHELF INCSunburyPA$108k0
THE SAINT LOUIS WOMENS CHORALESaint LouisMO$108k0
ERIE LACKAWANNA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY INCAvocaNY$108k0
RED ROSE CHILDRENS CHOIR OF LAKE COUNTY INCLibertyvilleIL$108k3
Oakland Roots & Soul Foundation IncOaklandCA$108k0
NEW YORK LANDMARKS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION INCNew YorkNY$108k0
METHACTON COMMUNITY THEATER INCCollegevillePA$108k0
THE OASIS OF KINGSPORTKingsportTN$108k0
THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE FOUNDATION THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE FOUNDATIONGoldsboroNC$108k0
JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETYFairburyNE$108k0
GREENFIELD MUSEUM INITIATIVE INCIndianapolisIN$108k1
The Summit ProjectPortlandME$108k0
KOREAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANT HERITAGE FOUNDATION INCAlbertsonNY$108k0
We Happy FewWashingtonDC$108k5
Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation IncGap MillsWV$108k0
PARKWAY HIGH SCHOOL BAND BOOSTERS INCBossier CityLA$108k1
STUDIOS OF COCOA BEACH AN ART COOPERATIVE INCCocoa BeachFL$108k0
DRAMA DOCKVashonWA$108k3
PLEASANT HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE CUMBERLANDS INCPleasant HillTN$108k0
THE FORT WORTH CHORALE SCHOLA CANTORUM OF TEXAS INCFort WorthTX$108k1
WEAVERS GUILD OF GREATER CINCINNATI INCCincinnatiOH$108k0
MD DOGS INCORPORATEDNicholasvilleKY$108k0
RIVER EDGE THEATRE COMPANY INCArdsleyNY$108k1
Eicher Arts Center IncEphrataPA$108k3
EDUCATION CENTER SHALOM INCRockvilleMD$108k1
934 INCColumbusOH$108k0
NORTH COAST CULTURAL ASSOCIATION INCChestertonIN$108k0