Candid has released its 2024 Nonprofit Compensation Report, the most comprehensive study on executive compensation in the social sector. Now in its 24th edition, this annual report draws exclusively from data reported on IRS Forms 990 and 990-EZ. This year's report reviews executive employee compensation based on 209,655 observations from 128,238 tax-exempt organizations for fiscal year 2022, making it the largest to date.
While some year-over-year trends persisted, the 2024 Nonprofit Compensation Report revealed several standout findings. These include:
Steady growth in median CEO compensation. Median CEO compensation has risen steadily, reaching a new high of $132,077 in 2022, up from $118,541 in 2018.
Gender pay gap in CEO compensation across nonprofit budget sizes continues. Data from 2022 reveals that the gender pay gap in CEO compensation within the nonprofit sector persists, particularly in organizations with larger budgets. In nonprofits with budgets over $50 million, the median salary for male CEOs is $559,770, while the median salary for female CEOs is $430,640—a difference of $129,130. Female CEOs in this budget range now earn just 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, a significant decline from 82 cents in 2012.
Science and technology research institutes lead in executive pay. The report reveals that science and technology research institutes top the list with a median executive compensation of $199,965 in 2022. Health-related nonprofits also rank high, with median compensations of $198,390 for general health and $190,012 for medical research.
Northeast 501(c)(3) organizations lead in median executive pay across United States regions. The District of Columbia has the highest median executive compensation, followed by New York and Massachusetts.
Women CEOs are increasingly represented across nonprofits, but major gaps persist in larger organizations. Women continue to dominate leadership in smaller nonprofits, holding 58% of CEO positions in organizations with budgets of $250,000 or less and 61% in those between $250-$500,000. However, a significant gender gap persists in larger nonprofits, where women accounted for only 29% of CEOs in organizations with budgets exceeding $50 million.
With data from over 128,000 organizations, the report provides a detailed look into the evolving landscape of nonprofit executive compensation, offering key insights and identifying ongoing challenges within the sector.