The public believes that charity chief executives are overpaid by around £20,000, according to new research by nfpSynergy.

Some 1,000 adults in March were quizzed on their perceptions of acceptable and actual salaries.

If found that on average the public perceives that the acceptable salary for a chief executive of charity with an annual income ranging from £1m-£10m is £51,826, but they believe that chief executives of these charities actually get paid £75,636.

For charities with £10m plus incomes, the public thinks the acceptable salary for a chief executive is £62,352, and they believe they actually get paid on average around £89,603.

For charities under £1m the perceived acceptable salary for a chief executive falls to £38,414. The public think they actually get paid £54,861.

nfpSynergy also looked at the public perception on pay in other sectors, and found that bus drivers, nurses and social workers are underpaid.

But charity chief executives are coupled with bank chief executives and MPs in terms of being seen as overpaid.