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Updated through 2024NTEE V · Social Science

Social Science nonprofitexecutive pay

Median top-executive pay across 435 social science nonprofits, 2021 – 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 conduct research and education in the social sciences, including economics, political science, and sociology.

Median executive pay
$122,500
The typical social science nonprofit's highest-paid executive earns $122,500 in total reported compensation.
25th pct
$53k
75th pct
$209k
90th pct
$415k
435 organizations · 2021 – 2024
Percentile distribution

Where the middle 50% lands.

Half earn between $53k and $209k. That band is the interquartile range. The 90th percentile sits at $415k, roughly 3.4 times the median. That upper tail is where the largest organizations cluster.

PercentileTotal compMeans
90th$414,837Top 10% of earners
75th$208,68225% earn more than this
50th · median$122,500The typical executive
25th$52,75225% earn less than this
10th$19,85410% 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 social science nonprofits in that revenue range.

Revenue band25thMedian75thOrgs
Under $1M$30k$65,991$114k221
$1M – $10M$119k$171,808$253k166
$10M – $100M$312k$426,067$545k41
$100M – $500M$854k$1,022,915$1.2M7
Revenue bands with fewer than 5 organizations are not shown.
Geography

Pay varies by state.

District of Columbia pays $136,006 more than the national median across social science nonprofits.

By role

Benchmark a specific Social Science role

Drill into median pay for individual leadership roles within social science nonprofits.

Board & trustee pay

Social Science board & trustee pay norms

14% of social science nonprofits pay at least one board member or trustee, with a typical per-person payment of $46,060 across a median board of 5 paid members.

Organizations paying board members
14%
Median board pay
$46,060
Median paid board size
5
By filing type
Form 990: 17%
Form 990-EZ: 9%
Form 990-PF: 12%
Directory

Social science research organizations, think tanks, policy institutes, and academic societies. Covers economics, political science, sociology, and interdisciplinary research. There are 771 social science 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 Social Science

771 organizations · Page 5 of 16

Name
City
State
Revenue
Executives
COLORADO FORUM FUND INCDenverCO$1.3M0
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies IncArlingtonVA$1.3M4
Leadership Legacy Life FoundationRoswellGA$1.2M1
American-German Institute IncWashingtonDC$1.2M4
African Studies Association IncPiscatawayNJ$1.2M1
BORDER911 FOUNDATION INCFredericksburgVA$1.2M0
POPULATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE INCFront RoyalVA$1.2M1
CUMMINGS FOUNDATION FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTHRenoNV$1.2M1
THE FAMILY EFFECTGreenvilleSC$1.2M0
PITTSBURGH LIFE SCIENCES GREENHOUSEPittsburghPA$1.2M1
AMERICAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN TURKEYPhiladelphiaPA$1.2M0
Advocates for Community Alternatives IncNew YorkNY$1.2M1
OTHER 98 PERCENT ACTION INCSeattleWA$1.2M1
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STATISTICAL SCIENCESResearch Triangle ParkNC$1.2M5
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS MEDIALos AngelesCA$1.2M1
PLATTE INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH INCOmahaNE$1.2M1
WESTERN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALFountain ValleyCA$1.2M2
COALITION FOR A PROSPEROUS AMERICA EDUCATION FUNDWashingtonDC$1.2M5
MARYLAND CENTER ON ECONOMIC POLICY INCBaltimoreMD$1.2M1
AMPLIFIED IMPACT PARTNERS fka SAN DIEGO SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERSSan DiegoCA$1.1M2
Institute for Jewish & Community Research DBA Bechol LashonSan FranciscoCA$1.1M3
Integral Community Solutions InstituteFresnoCA$1.1M1
Georgia Council on Economic EducationAtlantaGA$1.1M2
Social Progress Imperative IncWashingtonDC$1.1M3
BLACK MEN UNITEDOmahaNE$1.1M6
The Shumla School IncComstockTX$1.1M0
CENTER FOR SCHOLARS AND STORYTELLERSVenturaCA$1.1M1
INSTITUTE FOR PROGRESSWashingtonDC$1.1M7
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALSChicagoIL$1.1M0
Partnership for Economics Education and ResearchAnn ArborMI$1.1M3
MATHILE INSTITUTE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN NUTRITIONDaytonOH$1.1M1
Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy IncCharlestonWV$1.1M1
THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORKNew YorkNY$1.1M0
MIDDLE EAST STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA INCTucsonAZ$1M1
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGYVistaCA$1M1
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCEPhiladelphiaPA$1M1
GEORGIA PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION INCAtlantaGA$1M2
National Womens Studies Association IncBaltimoreMD$990k3
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOUNDATIONSag HarborNY$968k1
SOCIETY FOR PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH INCMadisonWI$953k2
CENTER FOR MIGRATION STUDIES OF NEW YORK INCNew YorkNY$952k3
SOUTHERN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION INCMcDonughGA$949k0
US GOOD BUSINESS LAB FOUNDATIONAnn ArborMI$937k3
United for A Fair Economy IncBostonMA$937k1
NORTH AMERICAN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION INCDubuqueIA$933k1
THE AMERICAN ANTITRUST INSTITUTE INCWashingtonDC$916k2
TRIBAL NATIONS RESEARCH GROUPBelcourtND$902k1
INSTITUTE FOR PALESTINE STUDIES (USA) INCWashingtonDC$893k1
HASKINS LABORATORIES INCNew HavenCT$874k2
Women's Congressional Policy InstituteWashingtonDC$873k1