Earnings for city managers vary according to such factors as the size of the city, the city's geographical location, and the manager's education and experience. According to a member survey by the International City/County Management Association, chief appointed city officials earn a median annual salary of approximately $152,000 while those employed by counties earn $140,000.
Payscale.com reports that average earnings for city managers were $97,882 in 2024, with salaries ranging from $58,000 to $183,000.
Salaries are set by the city council, and good city managers are sometimes given higher than average pay as an incentive to keep them from seeking more lucrative opportunities.
Benefits for city managers include paid vacations, health insurance, sick leave, and retirement plans. Cities may also pay travel and moving expenses and provide a city car or a vehicle allowance.
- Advertising Managers
- Agile Coaches or Trainers
- Ambassadors
- Aviation Safety Inspectors
- Bailiffs
- Bank Examiners
- Border Patrol Agents
- Campaign Workers
- Civil Engineers
- Congressional Aides
- Construction Inspectors
- Construction Managers
- Cryptographic Technicians
- Customs Officials
- Demographers
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Economists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Environmental Lobbyists
- Environmental Planners
- EPA Special Agents
- FBI Agents
- Federal and State Officials
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Futurists
- Health and Regulatory Inspectors
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Project Managers
- Intelligence Officers
- Internet Developers
- Interpreters
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Lobbyists
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Marketing Managers
- Military Recruiters
- Military Workers, Enlisted
- National Park Service Employees
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Park Rangers
- Policy Analysts
- Political Columnists and Writers
- Political Consultants
- Political Reporters
- Political Scientists
- Political Speechwriters
- Press Secretaries
- Product Owners
- Project Managers
- Property and Real Estate Managers
- Public Opinion Researchers
- Real Estate Developers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Regional and Local Officials
- Scrum Masters
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Statisticians
- Traffic Engineers
- Traffic Managers
- Translators
- Transportation Planners
- Urban and Regional Planners
- Wind Energy Project Managers