Dallas-Fort Worth · Occupational wage benchmark

Chief Executives Salary in Dallas-Fort Worth

Name: Chief Executives wages in Dallas-Fort Worth
Creator: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
License: https://www.bls.gov/opub/copyright-information.htm

What Chief Executives actually earn in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against other major metros.

Direct answer

Chief Executives in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area earn a median of $320,060 per year (+49.6% vs national, #6 of 35 major metros). Because the area price level is 103.1 against a U.S. average of 100, that salary carries roughly the purchasing power of $310,467 nationally. These are BLS occupational wage benchmarks across all workers — not MBA-graduate-specific outcomes.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro estimates for SOC 11-1011; cost-of-living adjustment from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.

Median annual wage: $320,060; Chief Executives in Dallas-Fort Worth
Adjusted for cost of living: $310,467; Dallas-Fort Worth price level 103.1 (U.S. = 100)
Rank among metros: #6 of 35; #6 after cost of living
Workers employed: 2,580; in metro Dallas-Fort Worth

What Chief Executives earn in Dallas-Fort Worth, adjusted for what it costs to live there

A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Cost of living does not materially change where Dallas-Fort Worth sits for this role among major metros.

Metro	Median (nominal)	Adjusted for cost of living
Portland	$375,810	$356,485
Seattle	$370,000	$332,934
Chicago	$344,960	$332,989
Charlotte	$329,030	$337,994
Richmond	$326,160	$333,299
Dallas-Fort Worth	$320,060	$310,467
Detroit	$304,110	$303,206
New York	$301,440	$267,797
Virginia Beach	$297,350	$303,601
Philadelphia	$292,770	$285,479
San Francisco	$288,690	$249,704
Austin	$288,150	$293,833
Atlanta	$275,820	$275,660
Houston	$275,270	$279,096
Baltimore	$268,030	$256,520
San Antonio	$256,610	$270,926
Indianapolis	$256,320	$267,848
Providence	$243,620	$239,376
San Diego	$238,440	$213,108
Los Angeles	$234,290	$206,303

Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (metro RPP ÷ 100) using BEA MARPP 2024 regional price parities.

The national pay range for Chief Executives

BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. The spread within the occupation is usually far wider than the gap between metros.

Percentile (national)	Annual wage	Reading
10th percentile	$75,700	Entry / early-career end
25th percentile	$129,540
Median (50th)	$213,990
75th percentile	$356,200
90th percentile	$507,730	Senior / top-market end

Other MBA-relevant roles in Dallas-Fort Worth

Computer and Information Systems Managers $173,810 Financial Managers $169,200 Marketing Managers $155,460 Sales Managers $144,290 Human Resources Managers $140,890 Industrial Production Managers $132,990 Data Scientists $127,750 Medical and Health Services Managers $121,640 General and Operations Managers $111,010 Advertising and Promotions Managers $108,690 Operations Research Analysts $106,380 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $104,790 Management Analysts $102,860 Financial and Investment Analysts $100,350 Project Management Specialists $98,900 Budget Analysts $82,790 Accountants and Auditors $82,620 Logisticians $76,510 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $75,240

How to read the Dallas-Fort Worth number

The $320,060 median means half of Chief Executives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every experience level, industry, and level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.

BLS counts roughly 2,580 people in this role in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. To compare against the state and national picture, see Chief Executives nationally or model your own economics with the MBA ROI calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Chief Executives make in Dallas-Fort Worth?

Chief Executives in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area earn a median of $320,060 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is +49.6% vs national, ranking Dallas-Fort Worth #6 of 35 major metros we track for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark across all workers in the metro, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.

Is $320,060 a good salary in Dallas-Fort Worth?

It depends on local prices. The Dallas-Fort Worth area price level is 103.1 against a U.S. average of 100, so $320,060 there carries roughly the purchasing power of $310,467 nationally — about $9,593 less than the headline number implies. Cost of living does not materially change where Dallas-Fort Worth sits for this role among major metros.

Do Chief Executives in Dallas-Fort Worth need an MBA?

These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot isolate what an MBA adds. Chief Executives is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any precise MBA premium for this role in Dallas-Fort Worth would not be supported by this data.

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