Chief Sustainability Officers Career, Salary and Skills
Chief Sustainability Officers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $213,990 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 204,350. Wage data is published for 365 locations.
Occupation description
Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.
O*NET code
11-1011.03
Job zone
5
Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$213,990
Hourly median
$102.88
Employment
204,350
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Persuasion | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.88 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- Develop or execute strategies to address issues such as energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education, and building design.
- Develop, or oversee the development of, sustainability evaluation or monitoring systems.
- Supervise employees or volunteers working on sustainability projects.
- Develop sustainability reports, presentations, or proposals for supplier, employee, academia, media, government, public interest, or other groups.
- Develop, or oversee the development of, marketing or outreach media for sustainability projects or events.
- Identify and evaluate pilot projects or programs to enhance the sustainability research agenda.
- Create and maintain sustainability program documents, such as schedules and budgets.
- Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of sustainability programs.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Photoshop
- Email software
- Management information systems MIS
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Dynamics GP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Word
Chief Sustainability Officers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in CAMedian $218,600 · Employment 34,700
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $234,290 · Employment 10,800
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in PAMedian $232,560 · Employment 8,850
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in TXMedian $257,850 · Employment 8,780
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in NYMedian $257,980 · Employment 8,430
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in New York, NYMedian $301,440 · Employment 7,180
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in MNMedian $195,670 · Employment 6,740
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $288,690 · Employment 5,190
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in MIMedian $255,560 · Employment 4,950
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in VAMedian $310,740 · Employment 4,870
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in TNMedian $198,830 · Employment 4,700
- Chief Sustainability Officers Salary in ILMedian $331,920 · Employment 4,620
Related careers
- Energy Engineers, Except Wind and SolarNational median $122,930
- Environmental Science Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $94,980
- Water Resource SpecialistsNational median $167,220
- Environmental EconomistsNational median $124,720
- Information Technology Project ManagersNational median $116,580
- Energy AuditorsNational median $74,690
- Compliance ManagersNational median $141,900
- Environmental EngineersNational median $107,110
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.