The Highest Paid Nonprofit CEOs

The highest-paid nonprofit leaders — CEOs, Executive Directors, etc. — all earn at least $900k per year, and into the tens of millions for large hospitals
Photo of a dollar bill on a countertop. Photo by neonbrand / Unsplash.

The highest-paid nonprofit leaders — CEOs, Executive Directors, etc. — all earn at least $900k per year, and into the tens of millions for the largest of hospitals and health systems. While the highest-paid nonprofit CEOs are in healthcare and financial services, things get more interesting when we look at normal charities. The highest-paid charity CEOs tend to be a mix of arts organizations, museums, and research institutes, although a wide variety of organizations pay their leadership quite well.

Executive compensation is a tricky issue. Just because a CEO or Executive Director is paid well doesn't mean they aren't more than worth it. But it's still worth trying to understand if a nonprofit exec's pay is similar to their colleagues or not. To do so, we compared total compensation as a percent of organization revenue, and total compensation as a percent of all salaries and benefits paid out by the organization. We found that most executives compensation was between 1.0% and 1.4% of total revenue and between 3.0% and 3.3% of all salaries and benefits paid (these are 25th and 75 percentiles). We found executives paid up to 8.8% of total revenue and 58.3% of all salaries and benefits paid.

Top 10 highest-paid nonprofit CEOs

  1. Howard P Kern, Sentara Healthcare
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer and Ex - Efficio Director / President and Chief Executive Officer / Chief Executive Officer / Chief Operating Officer and President
    Compensation
    $33,221,923
    % Org revenue
    3.2%
    % Org comp
    27.5%
    Revenue
    $1,030,614,538
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
  2. Ernie Sadau, Christus Health
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $17,916,470
    % Org revenue
    1.7%
    % Org comp
    4.1%
    Revenue
    $1,043,073,265
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
  3. R Heldebrant, Star One Credit Union
    Title
    Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $12,465,866
    % Org revenue
    4.9%
    % Org comp
    14.7%
    Revenue
    $255,066,926
    Data date
    2017-12
  4. Peter S Fine, Banner Health
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $12,383,710
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.3%
    Revenue
    $8,751,255,377
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
  5. Title
    Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $11,797,956
    % Org revenue
    3.9%
    % Org comp
    13.6%
    Revenue
    $305,241,036
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  6. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $10,937,130
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.3%
    Revenue
    $7,331,871,637
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
    Website
  7. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $10,669,493
    % Org revenue
    4.7%
    % Org comp
    14.2%
    Revenue
    $228,789,035
    Data date
    2018-12
    Website
  8. Anthony R Tersigni, Ascension Health Alliance
    Title
    Former Officer
    Compensation
    $10,631,627
    % Org revenue
    0.3%
    % Org comp
    1.0%
    Revenue
    $3,703,980,191
    Data date
    2020-06
    Location
  9. Title
    Former Chief Executive Officer and President / Former President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $10,442,876
    % Org revenue
    1.5%
    % Org comp
    2.1%
    Revenue
    $703,952,682
    Data date
    2020-09
    Location
  10. James D Dahling, Children's Health System
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer and Director / President and Chief Executive Officer / President and Director
    Compensation
    $1,202,582
    % Org revenue
    4.1%
    % Org comp
    9.5%
    Revenue
    $29,231,867
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
    Website

Top 50 highest-paid charity CEOs

  1. Title
    President
    Compensation
    $11,925,437
    % Org revenue
    5.2%
    % Org comp
    11.3%
    Revenue
    $228,285,796
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
    Website
  2. Anthony R Tersigni, Ascension Health Alliance
    Title
    Former Officer
    Compensation
    $10,631,627
    % Org revenue
    0.3%
    % Org comp
    1.0%
    Revenue
    $3,703,980,191
    Data date
    2020-06
    Location
  3. James Skogsbergh, Advocate Aurora Health
    Title
    Past President , Chief Executive Officer / Chief Executive Officer , President , Director / Chief Executive Officer , Director
    Compensation
    $7,738,486
    % Org revenue
    10.5%
    % Org comp
    13.9%
    Revenue
    $73,418,612
    Data date
    2021-12
  4. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $7,055,774
    % Org revenue
    11.6%
    % Org comp
    18.0%
    Revenue
    $60,850,634
    Data date
    2022-08
    Location
    Website
  5. Laura S. Kaiser, SSM Health
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $5,704,315
    % Org revenue
    0.5%
    % Org comp
    1.5%
    Revenue
    $1,122,383,312
    Data date
    2021-12
  6. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $4,092,751
    % Org revenue
    0.0%
    % Org comp
    0.1%
    Revenue
    $11,024,946,046
    Data date
    2022-09
    Location
  7. Edward J Grefenstette, The Dietrich Foundation
    Title
    President , Chief Executive Officer and Chief Information Officer
    Compensation
    $3,764,849
    % Org revenue
    2.3%
    % Org comp
    61.5%
    Revenue
    $166,962,550
    Data date
    2021-12
  8. Brian Gallagher, United Way Worldwide
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $3,622,146
    % Org revenue
    3.2%
    % Org comp
    11.0%
  9. Title
    Board Member
    Compensation
    $3,172,723
    % Org revenue
    0.4%
    % Org comp
    0.9%
    Revenue
    $855,744,080
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
    Website
  10. Robert Schultze, Missionsquare Retirement
    Title
    Past Former President , Chief Executive Officer , Director / President and Chief Executive Officer and Director Until 11 and 4 and 19
    Compensation
    $3,125,351
    % Org revenue
    1.0%
    % Org comp
    2.2%
    Revenue
    $318,914,554
    Data date
    2019-12
  11. C Darby, In-Q-Tel
    Title
    President , Chief Executive Officer and Trustee
    Compensation
    $3,122,861
    % Org revenue
    1.9%
    % Org comp
    5.6%
    Revenue
    $166,203,888
    Data date
    2022-03
    Website
  12. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer, Presbyterian Healthcare Services
    Compensation
    $3,030,584
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.3%
    Revenue
    $2,273,688,765
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  13. Thomas P Campbell, Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Title
    Executive Director
    Compensation
    $3,017,012
    % Org revenue
    0.5%
    % Org comp
    1.6%
    Revenue
    $653,501,924
    Data date
    2018-06
    Location
  14. Jason Providakes, Mitre
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,817,178
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.2%
    Revenue
    $2,236,685,995
    Data date
    2022-12
    Location
    Website
  15. Mary G Leary, Mather
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,676,956
    % Org revenue
    3.2%
    % Org comp
    8.8%
    Revenue
    $84,861,451
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
    Website
  16. William Jeffrey, SRI International
    Title
    Past President and Chief Executive Officer / Director / Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,672,028
    % Org revenue
    0.7%
    % Org comp
    1.2%
    Revenue
    $376,927,559
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  17. Peter L Miller, The Institutes
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,659,396
    % Org revenue
    3.2%
    % Org comp
    7.5%
    Revenue
    $82,291,206
    Data date
    2022-12
    Location
  18. Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center
    Title
    Managing and Artistic Director
    Compensation
    $2,626,357
    % Org revenue
    6.4%
    % Org comp
    13.8%
    Revenue
    $40,835,305
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
  19. Richard Seidler, Trinity Medical Center
    Title
    Former BD Member and President and Chief Executive Officer / Former BD Member and President and Chief Executive Officer / Board Member and President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,586,953
    % Org revenue
    0.6%
    % Org comp
    1.5%
    Revenue
    $425,889,815
    Data date
    2019-12
  20. William McKeon, Texas Medical Center
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer / Executive Vice President , Cso , and Chief Operating Officer / Executive Vice President and Cso
    Compensation
    $2,490,861
    % Org revenue
    2.3%
    % Org comp
    13.4%
    Revenue
    $108,399,620
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
    Website
  21. Alan D Guerci, Catholic Health
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer Thru 6 and 30 and 21 / President , Chief Executive Officer / President and Chief Executive Officer Since July
    Compensation
    $2,474,462
    % Org revenue
    8.1%
    % Org comp
    14.2%
    Revenue
    $30,450,419
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  22. Title
    Board Member , President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,469,523
    % Org revenue
    0.7%
    % Org comp
    1.2%
    Revenue
    $373,123,697
    Data date
    2019-12
    Website
  23. Title
    Past Chief Executive Officer Thru 12 and 20 / President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,410,187
    % Org revenue
    0.5%
    % Org comp
    1.0%
    Revenue
    $445,795,227
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  24. Gordon van Welie, ISO New England
    Title
    Board Member
    Compensation
    $2,327,694
    % Org revenue
    1.1%
    % Org comp
    1.8%
    Revenue
    $210,813,398
    Data date
    2022-12
    Location
    Website
  25. Title
    Past FRM President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,290,679
    % Org revenue
    1.1%
    % Org comp
    1.3%
    Revenue
    $210,667,356
    Data date
    2020-06
    Location
  26. Title
    Chief Executive Officer and President
    Compensation
    $2,165,759
    % Org revenue
    0.5%
    % Org comp
    0.8%
  27. Issac William Ferniany, Uab Medicine Enterprise
    Title
    Former Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,109,882
    % Org revenue
    2.0%
    % Org comp
    10.1%
    Revenue
    $104,475,642
    Data date
    2022-09
  28. Title
    President Director
    Compensation
    $2,084,437
    % Org revenue
    9.1%
    % Org comp
    28.7%
    Revenue
    $22,884,653
    Data date
    2022-03
    Location
  29. Title
    Chairman , Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,084,272
    % Org revenue
    1.3%
    % Org comp
    3.6%
    Revenue
    $157,859,423
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
    Website
  30. Christopher D. Hillyer, New York Blood Center
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $2,029,453
    % Org revenue
    0.4%
    % Org comp
    1.0%
    Revenue
    $550,372,782
    Data date
    2022-12
    Location
    Website
  31. Lisa Sherman, Ad Council Edge
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,895,711
    % Org revenue
    2.9%
    % Org comp
    7.6%
    Revenue
    $66,445,245
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
  32. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer , Rti International
    Compensation
    $1,843,757
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.3%
    Revenue
    $1,238,064,784
    Data date
    2021-09
    Website
  33. Edison T Liu, Jackson Laboratory
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,791,641
    % Org revenue
    0.3%
    % Org comp
    0.7%
    Revenue
    $572,874,395
    Data date
    2021-12
    Website
  34. Title
    Past Trustee , President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,766,948
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.2%
    Revenue
    $2,669,084,593
    Data date
    2019-09
    Location
  35. Scott P la Rue, ArchCare
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,763,991
    % Org revenue
    1.8%
    % Org comp
    10.9%
    Revenue
    $96,013,711
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
  36. Mark R Chassin Facp, The Joint Commission
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,701,007
    % Org revenue
    0.9%
    % Org comp
    1.4%
    Revenue
    $194,266,114
    Data date
    2019-12
  37. Title
    Past President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,666,286
    % Org revenue
    6.6%
    % Org comp
    19.4%
    Revenue
    $25,419,313
    Data date
    2019-12
    Location
  38. Deborah Borda, New York Philharmonic
    Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,636,970
    % Org revenue
    1.4%
    % Org comp
    3.3%
    Revenue
    $120,825,402
    Data date
    2022-08
    Location
    Website
  39. Michael Sanders, Monroe Clinic
    Title
    Former Officer / Director , President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,591,052
    % Org revenue
    0.7%
    % Org comp
    1.4%
    Revenue
    $215,841,279
    Data date
    2019-12
    Location
  40. Title
    Executive and Artistic Director
    Compensation
    $1,576,718
    % Org revenue
    1.7%
    % Org comp
    3.2%
    Revenue
    $90,457,248
    Data date
    2022-06
    Location
  41. Marki Flannery, VNS Health
    Title
    Past Director - President and Chief Executive Officer / President and Chief Executive Officer / Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations / Executive Vice President and Chief of Provider Operations / Executive Vice President and Chief of Provider Services
    Compensation
    $1,494,451
    % Org revenue
    3.2%
    % Org comp
    1.4%
    Revenue
    $46,546,508
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
  42. Title
    President and CEO
    Compensation
    $1,481,539
    % Org revenue
    4.2%
    % Org comp
    8.4%
    Revenue
    $35,038,977
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
    Website
  43. Eric Lander, The Broad Institute
    Title
    FMR Director , President and Chief Executive Officer / President and Founding Director / President and Director / Director , President and Chief Executive Officer
    Compensation
    $1,450,340
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.5%
    Revenue
    $1,051,116,110
    Data date
    2021-06
  44. Title
    President
    Compensation
    $1,413,367
    % Org revenue
    10.6%
    % Org comp
    12.5%
    Revenue
    $13,320,819
    Data date
    2022-09
    Location
  45. David Coleman, College Board
    Title
    Board Member
    Compensation
    $1,286,839
    % Org revenue
    0.1%
    % Org comp
    0.4%
    Revenue
    $983,201,971
    Data date
    2021-12
    Location
  46. Lincoln Smith, Altarum Institute
    Title
    Senior Vice President / President and Chief Executive Officer , Secretary
    Compensation
    $1,221,082
    % Org revenue
    3.6%
    % Org comp
    4.9%
    Revenue
    $34,183,665
    Data date
    2021-12
  47. Title
    President and Chief Executive Officer / Senior Vice President Business Development and General Council and Chief Executive Officer / Chief Executive Officer / General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Business Development / Senior Vice President , Business Development and General Counsel
    Compensation
    $381,545
    % Org revenue
    1.2%
    % Org comp
    2.8%
    Revenue
    $31,054,042
    Data date
    2022-03
    Website

Methodology

Cause IQ digitizes and cleans electronic and paper / scanned Form 990s for over 400,000 organizations. For this research on executive compensation, we used Schedule J of the Form 990 to determine executive compensation, specifically the Schedule J, Column E, Line i. This excludes compensation from related organizations. To determine charities, we limited to 501(c)(3) organizations with tax-deductible status, and excluded hospitals, schools, sports leagues and conferences, business associations, and certain other healthcare organizations.

Article originally published on December 30, 2019.

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