The total compensation for six CEOs of Treasure Valley hospitals was higher in 2008 and 2009 than the mid-range compensation paid to executives at 20 hospitals studied by the Internal Revenue Service. "When looking at total compensation paid to the top management official, the average and median were $490,431 and $377,256, respectively," the IRS said in 2009. The average total compensation for CEOs at Valley hospitals was $706,673 and the median was $580,694, according to the most recent tax filings of the hospitals and health systems in the Treasure Valley. However, that was largely due to retirements of top executives during a time of historic change for the health care industry and the local expansion of health systems.