How Much Are CEOs Paid in 2026? New Data from 350 CEOs and Presidents

For the top executive, compensation is often discussed through broad market ranges. JM Search’s latest research provides a more detailed view, examining how compensation changes as companies scale and how other aspects of the opportunity vary by executive experience and operating context. 

The 2026 CEO Compensation & Insights Study reflects responses from 350 CEOs and Presidents. Of those, 297 were serving in the role at the time of the survey, while 53 had held the role within the prior six months and were in transition. Nearly three-quarters represented private equity- or venture-backed companies, 67% were repeat CEOs or Presidents, and 59% had led at least one transaction or exit from the top seat. 

Five key findings offer a preview of the full study. 

Top Takeaways from our 2026 CEO Compensation Study

1. CEO compensation rises with company size, with the sharpest shift in the upper middle market

The data shows that compensation generally increases with company size, but the most visible shift occurs as companies move from the lower middle market ($100 million–$249 million in annual revenue) into the upper middle market ($250 million–$499 million in annual revenue). 

Among respondents leading upper-middle-market companies, 54% of CEOs reported base salaries of at least $500,000. Bonus targets also moved higher, with 54% reporting targets greater than 75% of base salary. 

Severance followed a different pattern. At companies with less than $50 million in annual revenue, six to 11 months was the most commonly reported range. Once companies reached $50 million, 12 to 17 months became the leading range and remained so across the larger company segments. 

Sign-on compensation was more selective. 52% of current CEOs and Presidents reported receiving no sign-on compensation when they accepted the role. Among those who did, equity was the most common form. 

The full report provides detailed salary, bonus, severance, and sign-on compensation benchmarks across each revenue band.

2. Multi-time CEO and transaction experience is associated with different equity outcomes

The study’s equity analysis focuses on PE- and VC-backed respondents, given the central role equity plays in compensation for that segment. Among those investor-backed leaders, repeat CEOs reported larger ownership stakes and higher target equity values than first-time CEOs. 

78% of repeat CEOs whose equity was expressed in ownership points reported holding at least three points, compared with 52% of first-time CEOs. Repeat CEOs were also more likely to report a target equity value greater than $10 million, at 39% compared with 22%. 

CEO-level transaction experience was associated with stronger reported equity outcomes as well. 57% of executives who had led at least one transaction from the CEO or President seat reported a target equity value of $7 million or more, compared with 32% of those without CEO-level transaction experience. 

The findings also reinforce the distinction between ownership percentage and expected value. Ownership points generally declined as companies grew, while target equity value remained meaningful across company sizes. A target value greater than $10 million was the most frequently reported category in every revenue band. 

The full report examines equity structure, ownership points, and target value at plan outcome, along with the features that make an equity package most attractive to CEOs.

3. Four in ten CEOs believe they are paid below market rates

Most current CEOs and Presidents surveyed believe their compensation is fair or at market. Still, 40% feel paid below market, while just 2% believe they are paid above it. 

That perception is associated with whether an executive has recently considered leaving. Among CEOs who feel paid below market, 59% had considered leaving in the prior six months. Among those who feel paid at or above market, 37% had. 

Pay was not the leading reason, however. Among CEOs who had considered leaving, leadership and stakeholder challenges ranked ahead of compensation and incentives. 

A raise alone does not appear to resolve the perception, either. Most CEOs who feel underpaid have received a base-pay increase since taking the role. 

The full report explores how pay perception varies by company size, what CEOs prioritize in a competitive package, and how compensation-review cadence relates to those perceptions.

4. The pressures facing CEOs change as companies scale

Growth and operations, a category spanning go-to-market capability, cost control, and operational efficiency, is the most frequently cited challenge across nearly every company-size category. 

At the smallest companies, capital and financing is a prominent concern. As companies grow, that pressure becomes less common, while talent becomes more prominent. 

Among CEOs at companies with less than $50 million in revenue, 46% cited capital and financing as a top challenge. At companies with $250 million–$499 million in revenue, that share fell to 8%, while talent climbed from 37% to 73%. 

Smaller-company CEOs are more likely to be managing capital constraints alongside growth. Larger-company CEOs are more likely to be focused on attracting, retaining, and organizing talent at scale. 

The full report examines the pressures keeping CEOs up at night, including how the leading concerns shift across company sizes.

5. Founder-transition challenges are similar whether the founder stays or exits

45% of respondents entered their current or most recent CEO or President role as part of a founder transition. 

In many cases, the founder remained involved after the handoff, most often as a board member. Whether the founder exited the business or stayed on in a new role, CEOs described the transition as challenging at similar rates, 47% (founder exited) compared with 52% (founder stayed). 

Among CEOs who encountered transition difficulties, people, team, and change management was the most frequently cited issue. Governance and decision-making clarity and board and stakeholder alignment followed. 

The findings suggest that the founder’s role was not the defining factor in whether the transition became difficult. The challenges reported by CEOs were more closely tied to the team, governance, and clarity of decision-making. 

The full report provides additional findings on founders’ ongoing roles, the frequency of transition challenges, and the issues CEOs encounter during the handoff. 

Explore the complete findings 

These themes represent only part of the study. The full 2026 CEO Compensation & Insights Study includes detailed analysis of: 

• Base salary, target bonus, severance, and sign-on compensation 

• Equity structures, ownership points, and target values 

• Differences by company size, CEO experience, and transaction history 

• Compensation perception and review practices 

• Role pressures and reasons CEOs consider another opportunity 

• Work models and board-engagement cadence 

• Founder-transition dynamics 

Download the full report to explore the detailed benchmarks and findings for boards, sponsors, CEOs, and CEO candidates. 

Methodology: From March to May 2026, JM Search conducted an anonymous online survey of CEOs and Presidents, with a focus on leaders of investor-backed and growth-oriented businesses. Of the 350 executives who completed the survey, 297 were serving as CEOs or Presidents at the time, while 53 had held the role within the prior six months and were in transition. Compensation, pay-perception, and “considered leaving” findings reflect the 297 current CEOs and Presidents. Equity findings are based on PE- and VC-backed respondents.