Top Compensation Packages

The salary information below was calculated by adding the IRS Form 990 categories of “Compensation,” “Contributions to employee benefit plans,” and “Expense accounts and other allowances.” Not included are any benefits received but not reported in the charity’s IRS Form 990. Information is based on the most current IRS Form 990 available.

When information is given only on the national headquarters and the charity does not include its affiliates in its financial statements, “National Office” appears after the group’s name.

NOTE:
CharityWatch grades are not based on the salary ranges reported in the IRS Form 990. DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY SALARIES MIGHT BE ALLOCATED, HIGH SALARIES DO NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE INEFFICIENCIES JUST AS LOW SALARIES ARE NOT ALWAYS A PLUS.

  NAME & TITLE CHARITY COMPENSATION FISCAL YEAR NOTES
1 Craig B. Thompson, M.D.
President/CEO
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center $  2,925,426 12/31/2014
2 Michael Friedman, M.D.
Past CEO
City of Hope $  1,646,002 09/30/2014
3 Paul Caskey, M.D.
Chief of Staff
Shriners Hospitals for Children $  1,499,735 12/31/2014 Includes $1,012,020 retirement and other deferred compensation.
4 Edward J. Benz, Jr., M.D.
President/CEO
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute $  1,495,477 09/30/2014
5 David Harris
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee $  1,454,958 12/31/2014 Includes one-time payment of $538,144 vacation accrual accumulated over many years.
6 Nancy Brown
CEO
American Heart Association $  1,443,427 06/30/2015
7 John R. Seffrin
CEO
American Cancer Society $  1,404,269 12/31/2014
8 Yitzhak Gershon
Past National Director/CEO
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces $  1,282,949 12/31/2014 Includes $631,251 bonus and incentive compensation.
9 Rupert W. Scofield
President/CEO
FINCA International $  1,281,285 12/31/2014 Includes $339,574 one-time vested retirement benefits and $493,615 tax gross-up to cover related taxes.
10 Christian Samper
President/CEO
Wildlife Conservation Society $  1,190,755 06/30/2015
11 Jonathan W. Simons, M.D.
President/CEO
Prostate Cancer Foundation $  1,182,091 12/31/2015
12 Brian Gallagher
President/CEO
United Way Worldwide $  1,171,998 12/31/2014
13 James W. DeMint
President
Heritage Foundation $  1,132,367 12/31/2015
14 Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President/CEO
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews $  1,129,242 12/31/2014 Includes unvested deferred retirement contribution of $487,187.
15 Larry Hausner
Past CEO
American Diabetes Association $  1,125,689 12/31/2014 Includes $210,833 severance.
16 Robert J. Beall
President/CEO
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation $  1,100,581 12/31/2014
17 Arthur Brooks
President
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research $  1,075,493 06/30/2015
18 Harry Johns
President/CEO
Alzheimer's Association (National Office) $  1,062,149 06/30/2015
19 James R. Downing
President/CEO
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital $  1,042,217 06/30/2015
20 William R. Brody, M.D.
President
Salk Institute for Biological Studies $  994,474 06/30/2014
21 Wayne LaPierre
CEO/Executive VP
National Rifle Association $  985,885 12/31/2014
22 Robert A. Tuggle
Past CFO
Boy Scouts of America (National Office) $  978,069 12/31/2014 Includes $282,005 retirement benefits restoration plan.
23 Scott A. Blackmun
CEO
United States Olympic Committee $  976,520 12/31/2015
24 Carter Roberts
President/CEO
World Wildlife Fund $  878,142 06/30/2015
25 Kevin Washington
President/CEO
The Y (National Office) $  864,695 12/31/2015 Includes $213,623 relocation assistance.