Compensation for chief executives of major health care systems in Massachusetts increased notably in 2024, amid ongoing financial and operational challenges facing the industry. Newly released filings show that many hospital CEOs received substantial raises despite the sector dealing with rising expenses, narrow operating margins, and fallout from the collapse of Steward Health Care, a for-profit hospital chain that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Dr. Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham (MGB), the state’s largest health care system and employer, earned nearly $9.2 million in 2024—an approximate 9 percent increase from the previous year. The system’s board emphasized this compensation reflects the complexity of managing a $22.8 billion academic health system with over 85,000 employees and a leading national hospital research enterprise. Scott Sperling, chair of MGB’s board, stated that Klibanski's pay is in the lower third compared to CEOs of similar or smaller nonprofit health systems nationwide, and highlighted the importance of attracting and retaining experienced leadership.
Several other CEOs also saw notable pay increases. Michael Dandorph, CEO of Tufts Medicine, received a 28 percent raise to $2.7 million. Dr. Laurie Glimcher, who stepped down as CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in October 2024, earned nearly $2.7 million, reflecting an 8.9 percent increase. Meanwhile, Dr. Kevin Churchwell of Boston Children’s Hospital saw total compensation rise by more than 9 percent to about $3.5 million. By contrast, Dr. Kevin Tabb, CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health, experienced a nearly 13 percent decrease in total compensation to $4.7 million, largely due to a reduction in bonuses despite a modest base salary increase.
The rise in executive compensation has occurred in a health care landscape still adjusting to the post-pandemic environment. Massachusetts saw a 5.7 percent increase in overall health care spending in 2024, reaching $83.3 billion—significantly above the state’s 3.6 percent spending growth benchmark. Hospitals are managing increased demand as patients who delayed care during the pandemic return sicker, while simultaneously addressing the operational strain caused by Steward Health Care’s bankruptcy and the subsequent sale or closure of several hospitals.
These financial pressures have fueled tension within health care workforces, where concerns over wages have grown amid rising executive pay. At Mass General Brigham, primary care physicians unionized in May 2025 after citing overwork and underpayment. More recently, about 4,000 unionized nurses at Brigham engaged in the state’s largest nurses strike over contract disputes focusing on wages. The Massachusetts Nurses Association has called for a 3 percent raise in the first six months of a contract and a 4 percent raise for the following year, while the hospital has offered no across-the-board wage increase, pointing to existing step raises tied to years of service.
Nurses and union representatives have criticized the disparity between frontline workers’ pay and that of top executives. Kelly Morgan, a Brigham nurse and union chair, described Klibanski’s compensation as “not right or just or fair,” emphasizing the disconnect between executive pay and bedside care.
Industry experts and health care advocates acknowledge the unique challenges faced by hospital executives who manage large, complex organizations with critical public health missions. Michael Sroczynski, general counsel for the Massachusetts Health and Hospitals Association, highlighted the specialized skills required to lead institutions that both save lives and drive medical innovation, underlining health care’s substantial economic contribution to the state. However, the juxtaposition of rising CEO salaries and frontline worker unrest continues to shape debates about equitable compensation in the sector.