Executive Schedule

Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. §§ 5311–5318) refers to the system of salaries given to the highest-ranked appointed positions in the executive branch of the U.S. government. The President of the United States, an elected official, appoints incumbents to these positions, most of them with the advice and consent of the Senate. They include members of the President's Cabinet as well as other subcabinet policy makers. There are five pay rates within the Executive Schedule, usually denoted with a Roman numeral with I being the highest level and V the lowest.

Congress lists the positions eligible for the Executive Schedule and the corresponding level. Congress also gives the president the ability to grant Executive Schedule IV and V status to no more than 34 employees not listed in the law.

The Executive Schedule is linked to the rates of pay for the General Schedule, Senior Executive Service, Senior Level, Senior Foreign Service, and other Federal civilian pay systems, as well as the pay of uniformed military personnel, because various federal laws establishing those pay systems normally tie the maximum amount payable to various levels of the Executive Schedule. Excluding the maximum of 34 employees not listed in the law, there are 687 positions paid under the Executive Schedule. Together, these positions cost the United States $108.7 million.