Turnover, Retirements Factor in Big Changes in Nonprofit Compensation

The median pay for the top paid nonprofit CEOs didn't change much in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available.

That doesn't mean things stayed the same for individuals. According to an analysis of data collected by Crain, turnover and impending retirements among the top paid nonprofit CEOs were a leading factor in big changes in compensation, from double-digit pay increases to drops in executive pay.

Turnover dampens salaries in a few ways. Impending departure of executives often spurs lump-sum payouts and payment of accrued benefits such as vacation, and the initial year of salary for an incoming CEO is often lower, Bill Weatherston, vice president of executive search firm Harvey Holhauser, said.