2025 Nonprofit Executive Director and CEO Hiring Trends: Salaries and Insights
Introduction
As of mid-2025, the average salary for nonprofit Executive Directors has surpassed $175,000, with most roles listed between $147,000 and $235,000 (Salary.com, 2025). Depending on your mission, location, and resources, this may seem substantial or surprisingly conservative.
At the CEO level, average salaries now approach $800,000, with typical ranges from $660,000 to $850,000. These figures reflect not only rising expectations for nonprofit leaders but also the increasing operational complexity many organizations now face.
For nonprofits planning leadership transitions, understanding current executive hiring trends and salary benchmarks is critical to attracting strong candidates. With this in mind, we’ve focused on metrics drawn from the most current salary data for the market.
Below, we share insights on salary expectations, candidate availability, and the potential value of first-time Executive Director candidates to help refine your executive search process.
Salary Benchmarks
Candid’s 2024 nonprofit compensation report, based on IRS 2022 data, places typical Executive Director salaries between $115,000 and $235,000, depending on organizational size, location, and mission focus. While valuable, this data, like similar resources from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar, and Charity Navigator, relies on delayed IRS 990 filings and may not reflect current conditions.
Many nonprofits are now supplementing these traditional data sources with real-time insights from posting-based platforms. These tools pull directly from active job postings and provide up-to-date salary expectations based on current market activity. We recommend using both historical and real-time data during any nonprofit leadership search to build a realistic, competitive compensation strategy.
Key factors influencing executive compensation include:
Organizational Scale and Complexity: Larger organizations managing budgets of $25 million or more typically offer higher salaries. Complexity also matters. Nonprofits with specialized missions or layered operational needs often pay well above $250,000 at the ED and CEO level.
Geographic Influence: Compensation remains highest in urban and coastal markets like Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C., where the cost of living drives salary expectations upward.
Economic context: In recent years, inflation and market shifts have kept salaries stable in real terms, with most nonprofits offering incremental raises rather than large increases.
Alongside base salary, many organizations enhance their executive compensation with performance incentives, deferred compensation, and retirement contributions, which especially critical for retaining leaders in larger or more complex nonprofits.
Candidate Availability: How to Reach Today’s Leadership Talent
While overall nonprofit executive turnover remains modest, strong candidates are available, particularly for mission-driven organizations that lead with flexibility, professional development, and a clear sense of purpose.
Nonprofit leaders remain open to transitioning into new organizations, but those currently working within financially stable and programmatically strong nonprofits tend to be especially selective. Offering flexibility, visible leadership opportunities, and clear professional growth pathways can help persuade even well-positioned leaders to consider a move.
We also continue to see experienced leaders from adjacent sectors, including public agencies and private enterprises, showing real interest in nonprofit leadership opportunities. What they seek are roles that offer growth potential, flexibility, and meaningful mission alignment.
In this current hiring landscape, candidate availability is not the core challenge. The differentiator is your organization’s approach to outreach and positioning.
To access strong strong leadership talent:
Be transparent about your mission, organizational culture, and compensation from the outset.
Emphasize leadership development and professional growth opportunities, even at the Executive Director or CEO level.
Offer flexible and hybrid work models where feasible. This remains one of the most powerful tools for attracting top candidates.
Boards of Directors often hesitate to extend hybrid or flexible arrangements to executive leadership, even when they are offered to staff. Yet experienced candidates increasingly interpret flexibility as a sign of organizational trust and modern leadership culture.
In short, high-quality candidates are available, but they are selective. Organizations that present a clear, values-aligned leadership opportunity supported by modern work structures are best positioned to engage them.
Why First-Time Executive Directors and CEOs Deserve Consideration
Opening your search to first-time Executive Director or CEO candidates can significantly expand your candidate pool and surface high-potential leaders. Candidates from VP or C-suite roles often view stepping into their first Executive Director position as a pivotal next step in their careers.
Positioning your opportunity as a leadership accelerator, with appropriate onboarding support and professional development, can attract candidates who bring fresh energy and long-term potential. In one recent search, a mid-sized arts nonprofit promoted its VP of Development into the Executive Director role, resulting in renewed strategic energy and a motivated, mission-aligned leadership transition.
That said, not every organization is positioned to invest in a first-time leader. If your organization is managing significant complexity, sensitive transitions, or high-profile growth, it may be more strategic to focus on attracting experienced leadership. In these cases, ensuring your compensation package remains competitive with current market expectations is critical.
Key Takeaways for 2025
Except for the smallest nonprofits, Executive Director salaries typically range from $150,000 to $250,000, adjusted for complexity, geography, and operational scope.
Candidate availability remains strong but rewards transparent, targeted recruitment strategies.
First-time Executive Director candidates can offer fresh vision and leadership potential, particularly for organizations ready to invest in growth and professional development.
Ultimately, quality matters more than quantity. Focusing on leadership potential, compensation transparency, and mission alignment will help your nonprofit build sustainable leadership for the years ahead.
Not sure whether your next hire could be someone at the helm for the very first time, or if they should be an experienced executive?
Take our quick readiness survey or contact our team directly. We’re here to help your board refine its hiring strategy and identify the leadership path that fits your organization’s current needs.
