Chief Executive Officers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of chief executive officers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for chief executive officers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of chief executive officers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for chief executive officers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Chief Executive Officers?
Do chief executive officers need a degree? What kind of experience do chief executive officers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for chief executive officers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Chief Executive Officers
Jobs Postings for Chief Executive Officers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 36,443 (36%)
- No Education Listed: 30,353 (30%)
- Master's degree: 18,609 (18%)
- High School or GED: 12,045 (12%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,774 (5%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of chief executive officers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 36% of positions. In 30% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Chief Executive Officers
Jobs Postings for Chief Executive Officers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,617 (17%)
- 2-3 Years: 11,729 (26%)
- 4-6 Years: 13,491 (30%)
- 7-9 Years: 4,921 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 6,693 (15%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for chief executive officers. In 30% of job postings for Chief Executive Officers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for chief executive officers.
What Kind of Degree Do Chief Executive Officers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for chief executive officers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 31 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective chief executive officers, and in 2023 a total of 1,129,992 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective chief executive officers.
Top Degree Programs for Chief Executive Officers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Chief Executive Officers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Management Science. | 30,890 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 29,564 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. | 19,243 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Environmental Studies. | 10,429 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,888 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 9,123 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 7,469 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 4,382 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 3,026 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,948 |
| Construction Trades, General. | 2,589 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,679 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. | 685 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 335 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 247 |
| Construction Trades, Other. | 232 |
| Social Entrepreneurship. | 84 |
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What Skills Do Chief Executive Officers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by chief executive officers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for chief executive officers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Chief Executive Officers
Based on 83,738 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Chief Executive Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | 11,966 | 14% |
| Marketing | 10,182 | 12% |
| Project Management | 10,178 | 12% |
| Accounting | 7,391 | 9% |
| Auditing | 7,086 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Chief Executive Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,176 | 48% |
| Management | 38,874 | 46% |
| Leadership | 33,615 | 40% |
| Operations | 28,056 | 34% |
| Customer Service | 21,966 | 26% |
Based on 83,738 job postings related to chief executive officers, finance was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 14% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, project management, accounting, auditing and public administration were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for chief executive officers, followed by management, leadership, operations, customer service and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | 11,966 | 14% |
| Marketing | 10,182 | 12% |
| Project Management | 10,178 | 12% |
| Accounting | 7,391 | 9% |
| Auditing | 7,086 | 8% |
| Public Administration | 5,462 | 7% |
| Merchandising | 5,151 | 6% |
| Financial Statements | 4,701 | 6% |
| Fundraising | 4,546 | 5% |
| Financial Management | 4,096 | 5% |
| Public Relations | 4,047 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 3,784 | 5% |
| Purchasing | 3,716 | 4% |
| Selling Techniques | 3,541 | 4% |
| Risk Management | 3,475 | 4% |
| Data Analysis | 3,430 | 4% |
| Cash Register | 3,426 | 4% |
| Effective Communication | 3,412 | 4% |
| Operational Excellence | 3,401 | 4% |
| Cash Handling | 3,386 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,176 | 48% |
| Management | 38,874 | 46% |
| Leadership | 33,615 | 40% |
| Operations | 28,056 | 34% |
| Customer Service | 21,966 | 26% |
| Planning | 18,215 | 22% |
| Sales | 17,278 | 21% |
| Writing | 15,768 | 19% |
| Problem Solving | 13,663 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 13,525 | 16% |
| Research | 11,224 | 13% |
| Budgeting | 11,106 | 13% |
| Presentations | 10,534 | 13% |
| Strategic Planning | 10,442 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 9,262 | 11% |
| Detail Oriented | 8,987 | 11% |
| Decision Making | 8,319 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,115 | 10% |
| Multitasking | 7,931 | 9% |
| Accountability | 7,781 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about chief executive officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for chief executive officers.
What do chief executive officers do?
How much do chief executive officers make?
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