Articles & Reports
Data-driven analysis of nonprofit executive compensation, based on 1.6 million records from IRS Form 990 filings.
The Reality Behind the Highest-Paid Nonprofit CEOs
Nonprofits are often associated with modest pay. But at the top of the sector, CEO compensation rivals that of corporate executives. How do we reconcile high pay with nonprofit purpose?
Read article →Do Top-Ranked Hospitals Pay More? Hospital Rank vs. CEO Compensation
Top-ranked hospitals are known for clinical excellence and institutional reputation. They also offer multi-million-dollar CEO compensation. But is there actually a relationship between hospital ranking and what boards pay their leaders?
Read article →Where University Money Really Is: Endowment Managers vs. Presidents
The highest-paid executives in nonprofit education are not the university presidents. They are the people who manage the endowments - and the pay gap between the two reveals how modern universities actually operate.
Read article →Why Orthopedic Surgeons Earn 4x What Psychiatrists Do
In nonprofit healthcare, specialty determines compensation more than seniority. The gap between the highest-paid and lowest-paid physician specialties reveals how American medicine really allocates its dollars.
Read article →Why Missouri Leads the Country in Nonprofit Executive Pay
The top-paying states for nonprofit executives are not the ones you would expect. Missouri leads. New York and Massachusetts follow. What the geography actually reveals is where large hospital systems headquarter their leadership.
Read article →2025 Annual Report (PDF)
12-page visual report with key findings, sector breakdowns, state rankings, and top earner profiles.
Download Report →