CEO Compensation Trends Shift with Company Scale

JM Search, the leading retained executive search firm serving private equity and growth-oriented private and public organizations, today released its 2026 CEO Compensation & Insights Study. The report, which reflects responses from 350 current and recently serving CEOs and Presidents across a range of industries, company sizes, and ownership structures, provides current benchmarks and practical context around CEO and President compensation, equity, leadership experience, role pressures, board engagement, founder transitions, and more. Of the 350 respondents, 297 were serving as CEOs or Presidents at the time of the survey, while 53 had held the role within the prior six months and were in transition.

The study, which was conducted from March through May 2026, found that CEO compensation increases meaningfully with company scale, with the clearest step-up occurring at $250 million in annual revenue. Long-term equity value is central to the CEO opportunity, with 85% of current CEOs and Presidents identifying equity value and long-term upside as one of the two most important elements of a competitive compensation package.

Key findings from the 2026 report include: CEO compensation increases meaningfully with company scale, with the clearest step-up occurring at $250 million in annual revenue. Long-term equity value is central to the CEO opportunity, with 85% of current CEOs and Presidents identifying equity value and long-term upside as one of the two most important elements of a competitive compensation package.

Compensation perception is associated with whether CEOs considered leaving their organization. Among current CEOs who believe they are paid below market, 59% had considered leaving their role within the prior six months, compared with 37% of those who believe they are paid at or above market.

Growth and operational execution dominate the pressures facing CEOs. Seventy-six percent of current CEOs and Presidents selected growth and operational execution as one of the top challenges keeping them up at night. Talent ranked second, followed by the external environment and competition.

Founder-transition challenges are not limited to situations in which the founder remains involved. Respondents reported challenges at similar rates whether the founder exited or stayed in a new role, with people, team, and change-management issues cited most often.

The 2026 CEO Compensation & Insights Study is based on an anonymous digital survey conducted from March through May 2026. Compensation, perceptions of compensation, and "considered leaving" findings reflect the 297 respondents serving as CEOs or Presidents at the time of the survey. Broader findings may draw from the full respondent base, where applicable. Detailed equity-package findings focus on eligible private equity- and venture capital-backed respondents, with sample sizes varying by question.