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The 2024 ESOP Executive and Director Compensation Survey

Explore results from the ESOP Executive Compensation Survey, featuring data from 553 companies on pay, board makeup, and director compensation across roles.

Description

How Our Members Use the Survey

2024 Survey Details

The survey collected comprehensive data on both executive compensation and director compensation, along with board makeup, number of board members, and demographic questions.

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

In addition, the survey report includes detailed compensation data for independent, affiliated, and inside directors, and data on board makeup.

A total of 553 ESOP companies (469 with 100% ESOPs) responded to our 2024 survey. Here is the industry breakdown. 

Industry Total  
Construction 141  
Manufacturing 132  
Professional, scientific and technical services 66  
Engineering or architecture 61  
Wholesale trade 48  
Retail trade 39  
Information, technology                                                                 25  
Finance, insurance, real estate 16  
Other 13  
Total 551  

    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 retirement plan accounts, by percentile
    • Total company ESOP contributions as a percentage of eligible payroll
    • Makeup of the board and committees (inside, affiliated, and independent directors)
    • Tables of dollar compensation at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles for directors, broken out by retainer, per-meeting fees, equity compensation, and total compensation

    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
    • Industry:
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Professional, scientific, and technical services
    Survey table of contents

    You'll receive an email with a download link and can also download the file immediately from the order confirmation screen. You can access the file anytime from the Orders screen in your NCEO account.

    Terms of Use

    By purchasing the NCEO's ESOP 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.