Career
Chief executives
Set the direction for an entire organization, and answer for the results.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
- Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
- Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
- Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on persuasion & leadership, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Judgment and Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Management of Personnel Resources.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $213,990 a year and 19,100 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Business AdministrationSee the degree →
- FinanceSee the degree →
- Business (General)See the degree →
- Business AnalyticsSee the degree →
- International BusinessSee the degree →
- Public AdministrationCIP 44.0401
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- General and Operations Managers$105,770 · +5.0%
- Management Analysts$101,860 · +10.1%
- Treasurers and Controllers
- Social and Community Service Managers$80,390 · +7.2%
- Public Relations Managers$146,910 · +5.7%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.