National Salary Info » Top Executives

Highest Paying Industries for Top Executives

The top 100 highest paying industries for top executives (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $185,020, securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage is the highest paying industry for top executives. It is followed by securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities industry (average annual salary $182,780). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of top executives in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Top Executives

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$185,020	$77,970	8,130
2	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$182,780	$74,250	23,350
3	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$182,080	$86,610	14,630
4	Other Financial Investment Activities	$181,690	$72,490	14,990
5	Scientific Research and Development Services	$177,100	$82,190	17,020
6	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$175,910	$99,660	680
7	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$173,190	$81,520	2,430
8	Other Investment Pools and Funds	$172,740	$66,000	200
9	Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles	$170,120	$71,040	420
10	Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds	$168,260	$76,790	220
11	Software Publishers	$162,980	$74,200	7,720
12	Securities and Commodity Exchanges	$162,000	$81,260	230
13	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$153,310	$67,050	52,790
14	Oil and Gas Extraction	$152,340	$56,320	5,930
15	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$152,290	$76,420	7,010
16	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$151,410	$76,920	22,770
17	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$150,440	$80,990	2,570
18	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$150,240	$59,860	18,760
19	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$149,220	$50,830	10,220
20	Other Information Services	$148,940	$58,450	5,930
21	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$148,770	$77,270	9,610
22	Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	$147,940	$57,550	17,790
23	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$147,700	$62,390	27,620
24	Other Insurance Related Activities	$147,310	$70,230	9,830
25	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$147,120	$81,760	700
26	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$146,120	$66,190	2,380
27	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$146,090	$51,150	11,200
28	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$146,070	$64,570	107,600
29	Engineering Services	$145,810	$73,420	24,190
30	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	$144,950	$70,620	1,150
31	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$144,400	$62,170	230,540
32	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$143,860	$66,510	51,490
33	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$143,810	$67,720	5,460
34	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$143,630	$58,200	57,500
35	Insurance Carriers	$140,310	$70,580	23,870
36	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$140,010	$75,130	4,970
37	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$139,280	$73,110	6,720
38	Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing	$139,160	$65,940	1,560
39	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$139,140	$67,900	37,370
40	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$138,690	$71,580	1,640
41	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$138,630	$71,210	550
42	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$137,140	$56,410	18,160
43	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$136,210	$59,710	16,920
44	Finance and Insurance	$135,820	$60,160	130,140
45	Metal Ore Mining	$134,510	$77,170	390
46	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$133,290	$58,420	6,900
47	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$131,350	$66,820	14,400
48	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$131,350	$62,070	6,580
49	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$131,100	$52,350	4,990
50	Hospitals - Privately owned	$129,720	$66,520	16,610
51	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$129,720	$63,020	7,350
52	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$129,670	$72,270	1,120
53	Chemical Manufacturing	$129,580	$62,680	17,060
54	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$129,470	$62,480	2,810
55	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$129,370	$67,820	1,340
56	Other Pipeline Transportation	$128,950	$57,300	310
57	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$128,870	$67,120	10,450
58	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$128,850	$63,620	2,400
59	Information	$128,800	$49,730	63,860
60	Forging and Stamping	$128,640	$57,470	2,540
61	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$128,160	$65,340	2,870
62	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$128,160	$63,730	1,060
63	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$128,150	$56,530	2,040
64	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$127,980	$65,620	18,270
65	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$127,920	$57,870	2,720
66	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$126,910	$66,090	3,490
67	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$126,770	$49,690	6,310
68	Postal Service (federal government)	$125,930	$85,730	340
69	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$125,390	$63,320	5,800
70	Legal Services	$124,820	$61,650	11,640
71	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$124,490	$63,940	21,330
72	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	$124,470	$67,940	1,120
73	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$124,200	$49,590	12,300
74	Federal government, including USPS	$123,970	$81,090	33,430
75	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$123,970	$81,090	33,080
76	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$123,790	$65,510	1,570
77	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$123,740	$71,810	8,780
78	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$123,350	$56,520	19,620
79	Tobacco Manufacturing	$123,100	$92,080	500
80	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$122,990	$60,770	7,300
81	Activities Related to Credit Intermediation	$122,940	$56,650	5,880
82	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$122,910	$66,710	1,380
83	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$122,800	$70,030	570
84	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$122,540	$53,580	29,610
85	Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing	$122,480	$57,760	2,390
86	Specialized Design Services	$122,370	$53,190	5,210
87	Household Appliance Manufacturing	$122,140	$59,410	610
88	Automobile Dealers	$122,130	$49,260	28,960
89	Hardware Manufacturing	$121,830	$61,670	660
90	Water Transportation	$121,780	$66,460	1,850
91	Machinery Manufacturing	$121,580	$60,440	25,200
92	Rail Transportation	$121,530	$58,210	2,480
93	Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing	$121,250	$65,830	1,330
94	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$121,010	$65,780	6,020
95	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$121,000	$58,240	4,410
96	Footwear Manufacturing	$120,850	$48,090	110
97	Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers	$120,800	$57,690	4,440
98	Paper Manufacturing	$120,700	$52,480	6,370
99	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$120,600	$61,600	17,070
100	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$120,550	$57,880	14,320