Management salaries

Management occupations run organizations and teams, from chief executives to operations and department managers. Pay is among the highest of any field.

Below are all 35 management occupations the BLS tracks, ranked by median annual pay for May 2024. The best paid, chief executives, earns a median of $206,420 a year.

# Job Median annual Hourly Typical education Employed
1 Chief Executives $206,420 $99.24 Bachelor's degree 211,850
2 Computer and Information Systems Managers $171,200 $82.31 Bachelor's degree 645,970
3 Architectural and Engineering Managers $167,740 $80.64 Bachelor's degree 210,340
4 Financial Managers $161,700 $77.74 Bachelor's degree 818,620
5 Natural Sciences Managers $161,180 $77.49 Bachelor's degree 100,870
6 Marketing Managers $161,030 $77.42 Bachelor's degree 384,980
7 Compensation and Benefits Managers $140,360 $67.48 Bachelor's degree 20,070
8 Human Resources Managers $140,030 $67.32 Bachelor's degree 215,520
9 Purchasing Managers $139,510 $67.07 Bachelor's degree 81,240
10 Public Relations Managers $138,520 $66.60 Bachelor's degree 76,060
11 Sales Managers $138,060 $66.38 Bachelor's degree 603,710
12 Training and Development Managers $127,090 $61.10 Bachelor's degree 44,960
13 Advertising and Promotions Managers $126,960 $61.04 Bachelor's degree 21,100
14 Fundraising Managers $123,480 $59.36 Bachelor's degree 36,920
15 Industrial Production Managers $121,440 $58.39 Bachelor's degree 234,380
16 Medical and Health Services Managers $117,960 $56.71 Bachelor's degree 565,840
17 Administrative Services Managers $108,390 $52.11 Bachelor's degree 254,140
18 Construction Managers $106,980 $51.43 Bachelor's degree 348,330
19 Facilities Managers $104,690 $50.33 Bachelor's degree 141,090
20 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $104,070 Salaried Master's degree 319,630
21 Education Administrators, Postsecondary $103,960 $49.98 Master's degree 176,420
22 General and Operations Managers $102,950 $49.50 Bachelor's degree 3,584,420
23 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $102,010 $49.05 High school diploma or equivalent 213,000
24 Postmasters and Mail Superintendents $92,730 $44.58 High school diploma or equivalent 13,810
25 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers $87,980 $42.30 High school diploma or equivalent 5,910
26 Emergency Management Directors $86,130 $41.41 Bachelor's degree 12,570
27 Gambling Managers $85,580 $41.14 High school diploma or equivalent 4,620
28 Social and Community Service Managers $78,240 $37.61 Bachelor's degree 195,490
29 Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling $77,180 $37.11 Bachelor's degree 36,700
30 Funeral Home Managers $76,830 $36.94 Associate's degree 13,120
31 Lodging Managers $68,130 $32.76 High school diploma or equivalent 41,350
32 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $66,700 $32.07 High school diploma or equivalent 296,640
33 Food Service Managers $65,310 $31.40 High school diploma or equivalent 244,230
34 Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $56,270 $27.05 Bachelor's degree 71,620
35 Legislators $44,810 Salaried N/A 26,510

Ranked by median annual wage. National estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2024.

Management salary FAQ

What is the highest paying management job?

Chief Executives top the management field at a median of $206,420 a year, based on BLS data for May 2024.

How much do management jobs pay on average?

Pay varies widely across the 35 occupations in this field. The middle of the list, construction managers, sits at a median of $106,980 a year. The overall U.S. median across all jobs is $49,500.

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Source. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Figures shown as published, last updated 2025-04-02.