Yael Eckstein: Progress in Closing Salary Gaps for Female Non-Profit CEOs, but Inequalities Persist
As the President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), Yael Eckstein oversees all ministry operations and serves as the organization’s international spokesperson. The Fellowship is the largest provider of humanitarian aid in Israel, and in 2021, it raised over $200 million, aiding 2 million Jews in need in Israel and around the world.
Yael Eckstein salary is often a topic of interest given her prominent role and the size of the organization she leads. Candid, a leading authority on nonprofit data, publishes an annual Nonprofit Compensation Report, which draws directly from IRS data and is the most comprehensive of its kind. Yael Eckstein, a vocal advocate for reducing the salary disparities between male and female executives in the nonprofit sector, highlighted that Candid’s 2021 report shows some progress but still reveals a significant pay gap, with female CEOs earning less than their male counterparts across organizations of various sizes.
In the for-profit sector, despite continuous improvements in closing the gender pay gap since 2015, there was no change in the disparity between men’s and women’s salaries from 2021 to 2022. On average, women earn $0.82 for every $1 earned by men across all occupations.
However, when factors such as job level, title, education, experience, industry, and hours worked are considered, the pay gap narrows significantly, with women earning $0.99 for every $1 earned by men.
The discrepancy between these figures can be attributed to various factors, including the impact of career breaks for motherhood and the higher wage penalties women often face when re-entering the workforce. As a result, the overall earnings for working women remain lower than for men.
The fields with the most significant gender pay gaps in the U.S. include Physicians, Surgeons, Veterinarians, and Directors. The field of Religious Activities and Education also ranks among the top 10 professions with substantial earnings lost due to pay inequality.
Jenna Allen, a senior data services analyst at Candid, emphasized that while progress is being made in closing the gender pay gap, the disparity remains, with female CEOs still earning less than their male counterparts in organizations of all sizes.
Executive compensation varies widely across different sectors, with science and health organizations offering the highest median executive pay at $196,000. In contrast, religious institutions, along with animal-related and arts organizations, are among the lowest, with a median executive salary of $65,000.
James Skogsbergh, CEO of Advocate Aurora Health, tops the list as the highest-paid nonprofit CEO in the U.S., earning $8.5 million annually, overseeing a 26-hospital system. Advocate Aurora Health reported revenues of $5.5 billion in 2018.
United Way Worldwide, Forbes’ top charity, has an annual revenue of $5.2 billion, with its CEO earning $1.58 million.
“Organizations that don’t proactively address pay inequities risk employees surfacing the inequities themselves, and this can create a culture of distrust and may lead employees to search for a better environment,” the Society for Human Resource Management reported.
In response to these challenges, many organizations are now committed to conducting pay equity analyses to ensure competitive salaries, helping them attract and retain top talent.
Yael Eckstein, President of IFCJ, notes, “Salary, benefits, and incentives motivate talented and experienced professionals. At The Fellowship we have worked hard to foster a meritocracy where outstanding employees can be appropriately rewarded for their contribution to our organization’s mission.”
