Our 2022 ESOP Executive Compensation Survey report is now available. Respondents have been emailed a discount code. Our thanks to all of our respondents!

After purchasing, the PDF report will be available immediately for download in your nceo.org account screen under "Files." 

Sample compensation tables from the 2022 report are available here. 

Please contact Research Director Nancy Wiefek at [email protected] for any questions or assistance.

2022 Survey Details

The survey gathered compensation data for each of the following eight executive positions:

  • CEO or president
  • CFO or top financial executive
  • COO
  • Chief information officer
  • Top divisional vice president
  • Top human resources or personnel professional
  • Top sales or marketing executive
  • Vice president of services/region/geographic area

A total of 380 ESOP companies (320 with 100% ESOPs) responded to our 2022 survey. Here is the industry breakdown. 

Industry Total 100% ESOPs
Manufacturing 103 89
Construction 66 54
Professional, scientific and technical services 85 62
Wholesale trade 38 35
Retail trade 16 13
Finance, insurance, real estate 7 5
Information, technology (computers, biotechnology, software) 17 13
Health care and social assistance 8 7
Other 40 32
Total 380 320

    Contents of the Survey Report

    The report includes:

    • Descriptive demographic information about the respondents
    • Tables of compensation at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles for each of eight executive positions, separated by base pay, cash incentives, stock-based compensation, and total pay
    • Contributions to executives' individual ESOP accounts and other retirement plan accounts, by percentile
    • Total company ESOP contributions as a percentage of eligible payroll

    This information is presented for both the overall survey sample and as breakouts for each of the following company characteristics:

    • Revenue
    • Number of employees
    • Percent ESOP ownership
    • Age of ESOP
    • S corporations and C corporations
    • Industry:
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Professional, scientific, and technical services

    The report also contains data on how inflation and the labor market are affecting compensation, including a measure of estimated total change in compensation for each position from 2021-2022.

    What Users Are Saying

    "This report gives us information that we've needed but found very difficult and expensive to acquire in the past. This is a great service."
    — Robert H. Carlson (CEO Emeritus and board member, Reell Precision Manufacturing)

    "Not only did we get data on executive compensation in ESOP companies, we were also able to look at compensation levels for companies in our size range and industry type. I was impressed with the amount of data, the different executive positions it covered, and the quick turnaround--I would recommend this to any ESOP company."
    — Cindy Turcot (President, Gardener's Supply Company)

    Terms of Use

    By purchasing the NCEO's ESOP Executive Compensation Survey report, you are agreeing to following terms of use:

    • Companies may share the report with anyone at the company, including outside board members and consultants, but may not circulate it outside the company.
    • Companies sharing the report with outside board members and consultants must specify that its use is limited to the company, and must acknowledge the NCEO as the source. 
    • ESOP service providers and other service providers or consultants may use this report to advise clients, as long as they acknowledge the NCEO as the source and make clear that it should not be circulated outside the client's company.