How to become a Chief Executive
Official title: Chief Executives
Also called: CEO (Chief Executive Officer), Chief Diversity Officer (CDO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Executive Director, Executive Vice President (EVP), Operations Vice President (Operations VP), President
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.
Main tasks
- Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
- Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
- Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
- Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
- Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
- Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
- Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
How to become one
Top executives typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience to enter the occupation.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $213,990 a year The middle half earn $129,540 to $356,200.
- About 291,600 people work in this job now, and about 300,900 are projected by 2035. (+3.2%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Chief Executive?
Top executives typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience to enter the occupation.
How much does a Chief Executive earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $213,990 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $129,540 to $356,200.
Is a Chief Executive a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 291,600 to about 300,900 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Chief Executive?
Usually. 73% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Chief Executive?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.