Career-PathGPS
← All education and training
Career

Chief Executives

Typical education: Master's degreeHigh pressure

What they do

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $213,990 Median per year · $102.88/hr Most earn $75,700–$507,730

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Direct non-merchandising departments, such as advertising, purchasing, credit, or accounting.
  • Represent organizations or promote their objectives at official functions, or delegate representatives to do so.
  • Direct or conduct studies or research on issues affecting areas of responsibility.
  • Review and analyze legislation, laws, or public policy and recommend changes to promote or support interests of the general population or special groups.
  • Review and analyze legislation, laws, or public policy and recommend changes to promote or support interests of the general population or special groups.
  • Direct human resources activities, including the approval of human resource plans or activities, the selection of directors or other high-level staff, or establishment or organization of major departments.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 19,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)26.6%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals5.2%
  • Management of companies and enterprises4.9%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services4.5%
  • Elementary and secondary schools4.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Over 10 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: Over 10 years

Chief Executive is not an entry-level job. People usually spend more than 10 years working their way up through management roles, often with a master's degree along the way. Most start with a bachelor's degree and build experience step by step.

  1. Bachelor's degree in business, management, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn how organizations work, plus accounting, finance, and communication, which are the basics every future leader needs.

  2. Management Analyst

    2-4 years

    You study how companies run, find ways to improve them, and present your ideas to managers, which builds the big-picture thinking that executives use every day.

  3. Master's degree in business administration (MBA) or similar

    about 2 years, often while working

    A graduate degree builds advanced skills in strategy, finance, and leadership, and it is the most common advanced degree for this career.

  4. General and Operations Manager

    5-8 years

    You run a department or a whole site, lead teams, and manage budgets, which proves you can guide an organization's daily work.

  5. Chief Executive

    Ongoing

    You set the overall direction of the organization within guidelines from a board of directors and lead the senior managers who run daily operations.

Where it can lead

  1. Chair of the Board of Directors

    5+ years as a chief executive or senior leader of experience first

    A chair leads the board that oversees the company, which means guiding the top executive instead of running daily operations. People usually reach this after many years of executive experience and strong ties to the governing board.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math, economics, and English or speech classesStrong math and clear writing and speaking are the foundations for analyzing business problems and leading people.
  • Join a club like DECA, debate, or student governmentThese clubs let you practice running meetings, making decisions, and presenting ideas to adults and peers.
  • Take on a leadership role in a club or sports teamBeing a captain, treasurer, or event leader gives you real experience guiding others and handling responsibility.
  • Get a part-time job and watch how the business runsWorking in a store or restaurant shows you how customers, staff, and money fit together, which is a useful start in understanding organizations.
  • Volunteer to organize a community projectPlanning a fundraiser or event teaches you to set goals, manage a budget, and work with different people.

In college

  • Major in business, management, or economicsThese majors cover the core knowledge of how organizations are run, from finance to strategy.
  • Take accounting, statistics, and a public speaking courseNumbers, data, and clear communication are skills executives use every day to make decisions and persuade others.
  • Pursue an internship in a company's operations or management teamAn internship lets you see how leaders make decisions and gives you experience to list on your résumé for future jobs.
  • Hold a leadership role in a student organizationServing as president, treasurer, or event chair shows you can lead a group and manage its money and goals.
  • Start planning for graduate school earlySince a master's degree is common for this career, research business graduate programs and their admission requirements during your undergraduate years.

Tips for getting started

  • Build a track record of leading people early. Volunteer to coordinate a team, run a project, or manage a budget, because executives are chosen largely for proven leadership.
  • Get experience across more than one area, such as finance, operations, or sales. Chief executives are expected to understand the whole organization, not just one part of it.
  • Look at the Chief Executive career page for the full picture of pay and how it varies by region. It will show you what to expect as you plan your path.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

Related careers