St. Louis · Occupational wage benchmark
Chief Executives Salary in St. Louis
What Chief Executives actually earn in the St. Louis metro area — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against other major metros.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), St. Louis, MO-IL 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
- $202,840
- Chief Executives in St. Louis
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $213,318
- St. Louis price level 95.1 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among metros
- #27 of 35
- #25 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 1,120
- in metro St. Louis
What Chief Executives earn in St. Louis, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, St. Louis moves up 2 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
| 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 St. Louis
How to read the St. Louis number
The $202,840 median means half of Chief Executives in the St. Louis 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 1,120 people in this role in the St. Louis 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 St. Louis?
Chief Executives in the St. Louis metro area earn a median of $202,840 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is -5.2% vs national, ranking St. Louis #27 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 $202,840 a good salary in St. Louis?
It depends on local prices. The St. Louis area price level is 95.1 against a U.S. average of 100, so $202,840 there carries roughly the purchasing power of $213,318 nationally — about $10,478 more than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, St. Louis moves up 2 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
Do Chief Executives in St. Louis 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 St. Louis would not be supported by this data.
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