Nonprofit Healthcare CEO Salary in Kentucky

Official IRS Form 990 Schedule J compensation benchmarks for CEO positions across healthcare 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Kentucky (with annual budgets between $50M – $100M). Based on 25 matched filings for IRS § 4958 safe harbor compliance.

25th Percentile
$352,289
Lower Bound
Median (50th %)
$398,870
Market Consensus
75th Percentile
$461,080
Safe Harbor Ceiling
Matched Peer Group
25 Filings
IRS Verified Peers
Filter Peer Group
Empirical Market Analysis · Kentucky
Census Division: East South Central

At $398,870, the median CEO compensation for Kentucky nonprofits in the $50M – $100M operating band sits 35.8% below the national benchmark ($621,300), reflecting regional cost-of-labor variations in the East South Central division. Matched peer filings establish an interquartile safe harbor range between $352,289 (25th percentile) and $461,080 (75th percentile).

Across this 25-organization peer group, median executive remuneration accounts for 1% of total organizational operating expenditures (interquartile peer range: 1% – 1%). Base salary represents an average of 81% of total compensation, with performance incentives reported by 100% of reporting institutions (averaging $29,245 among participating organizations).

Interquartile Safe Harbor Distribution

Treasury Regulation § 53.4958-6(c)(2) Rebuttable Presumption Bandwidth

25 Verified Filings
P10$329,029
P25 (Safe Min)$352,289
Median (50th)$398,870
P75 (Safe Max)$461,080
P90$505,731
Legal Precedent: To secure the IRS Rebuttable Presumption of Reasonableness, tax-exempt governing boards must establish that approved compensation falls within market comparability bounds prior to voting. Compensation between the 25th and 75th percentiles ($352,289 – $461,080) represents the defensible interquartile standard accepted by federal regulators.

Schedule J Pay-Mix Distribution

Average component allocation across Form 990 Part VII Section A & Schedule J Part II extracts

25 Matched Filings
Base Salary
$338,409
81% of total remuneration
Bonus & Incentive
$29,245
100% peer participation
Deferred Comp
$25,067
100% peer participation
Nontaxable Benefits
$16,711
100% peer coverage
Sample Size25 Matched Filings
Average Budget$73,209,150
Pay-to-Budget Ratio1% (1%–1%)
IRS Filing Vintage2021–2025 XML Extracts

Matched Form 990 Peer Organizations

Sample peer group entries matched by budget, NTEE taxonomy, and geographic cost-of-labor

Showing 3 of 25 peers
NEW VISTA BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE INC
EIN: 452412767 • Metro Area, KY • Budget: $72,022,728
$4••,•••
Schedule J Locked
MOUNTAIN COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CORPORATION
EIN: 610712406 • Metro Area, KY • Budget: $84,021,241
$4••,•••
Schedule J Locked
FLAGET HEALTHCARE INC
EIN: 611345363 • Metro Area, KY • Budget: $84,983,233
$4••,•••
Schedule J Locked

Access All 25 Matched Peer Filings

Generate the full, audit-ready 8-page Board Compliance Packet including individual peer line-item disclosures (Base, Bonus, Deferred, Benefits), statutory citations, and turnkey board minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the typical salary for a CEO at a Kentucky nonprofit with $50M – $100M?

Based on 25 verified IRS Form 990 Schedule J filings in Kentucky, the median total compensation for a CEO is $398,870. The 25th percentile sits at $352,289 and the 75th percentile (the rebuttable safe harbor ceiling) is $461,080.

How does Kentucky CEO pay compare to national averages?

At $398,870, median CEO compensation in Kentucky is 35.8% lower than the national baseline ($621,300) for comparable operating budgets, consistent with economic indices in the East South Central division.

What percentage of operating budget should a 501(c)(3) spend on its CEO?

Across matched peer filings for $50M – $100M nonprofits, median CEO compensation represents 1% of total organizational operating expenses. The middle 50% of peer institutions allocate between 1% and 1% of expenditures to executive leadership.

How does Treasury Regulation § 53.4958-6 protect board members approving executive compensation?

Under Treasury Regulation § 53.4958-6, tax-exempt governing boards secure the Rebuttable Presumption of Reasonableness when they rely on independent comparability data from similarly situated peer organizations prior to voting and record the decision contemporaneously in their minutes. Once established, the legal burden shifts to the IRS to prove that compensation was excessive.