05-14-2026
CEOs are 10 years older than they were 20 years ago, with average ages at the time of appointment rising from 47 to 55. The average age of a CEO is currently 61. That age jump is five times the increase in the average age of the U.S.’s college-educated workforce. CEOs join their respective companies older and at a higher level of seniority than ever before.
This data comes from the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) “Aging At The Very Top” working paper, released in April 2026. NBER states this age increase is “driven primarily by longer and more diverse external career paths” before becoming CEOs. In interpreting the data, NBER asserts that as operating environments have become more uncertain and complex, companies have placed increased weight on diverse managerial experience. The NBER points to increasingly complex expectations from CEOs, with firms expanding across geographic locations and business lines while navigating more regulatory constraints. To gain the requisite skills, the work demands longer career paths.
In its conclusion, the NBER notes that older CEOs tend to manage firms with slower growth rates. with these firms seeking risk-averse leadership, particularly during heightened economic uncertainty.
Older CEOs may be having a moment, but ageism persists as an issue for other older workers. According to AARP, 64% of workers over 50 report experiencing age discrimination, with some 22% report that they believe their employers are trying to push them out of their jobs. Many older workers see implicit assumptions that they resist change and are less tech-savvy than their younger colleagues, while younger workers seemingly receive more training and recognition for their efforts.