What Is the CrowdStrike CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio?
CrowdStrike's CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 146:1 — CEO George Kurtz earned $21.9M in 2026, or 146 times the median CrowdStrike employee's pay of $150,000. That is below the S&P 500 median of roughly 300:1.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: What Is the CrowdStrike CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio?. The answer draws on SEC DEF 14A proxy statements, the public disclosure mechanism for U.S. public-company executive pay. Every public company must file an annual proxy statement disclosing CEO and named-executive-officer compensation in detail. Why this matters for shareholders: executive compensation is the single most-disclosed governance metric at U.S. public companies, and the Dodd-Frank-mandated say-on-pay vote gives shareholders an explicit channel to express approval or dissent. Reading pay data well — including pay-versus-performance, peer-group selection, and time-vesting structures — is a basic part of stock-by-stock fundamental analysis.
The detailed answer below uses the actual proxy-statement filings, explains how to read them, and translates the executive-compensation accounting into the shareholder-relevant interpretation.
CrowdStrike Pay Ratio Breakdown
- CEO-to-worker ratio
- 146:1
- CEO total comp
- $21.9M
- Median worker pay
- $150,000
- S&P 500 median ratio
- ~300:1
- Employees
- 9,573
- Pay-Performance grade
- C
Source: CrowdStrike SEC DEF 14A proxy statement (Dodd-Frank §953(b) pay-ratio disclosure). S&P 500 median is an industry benchmark.
Public companies have been required to disclose the ratio of CEO pay to median-employee pay in their proxy statements since 2018, under Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Act. At CrowdStrike, George Kurtz's $21,933,580 total compensation works out to 146 times the $150,000 earned by the company's median employee — a Cybersecurity workforce of roughly 9,573 people.
For context, the typical S&P 500 CEO-to-worker pay ratio runs near 300:1, so CrowdStrike's 146:1 figure is lower than the large-cap norm. The ratio is driven mostly by equity: George Kurtz received $10,966,790 in stock awards and $2,632,030 in option awards in 2026, versus $2,193,358 in base salary. Median worker pay reflects total cash and benefits for the employee at the 50th percentile of the company's global workforce.
Whether a high ratio is "fair" is contested. Critics argue wide gaps signal misaligned incentives and weak labor bargaining power; defenders argue CEO pay is mostly performance-linked equity that only pays out if shareholders gain. CrowdStrike's three-year total shareholder return of 34.8% and Pay-for-Performance grade of C (60/100) are the data points to weigh that against.
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 92.5% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Strong shareholder support signals broad approval of the pay package.
Pay Ratio Inputs
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $21,933,580 |
| Base Salary | $2,193,358 |
| Stock Awards | $10,966,790 |
| Option Awards | $2,632,030 |
| Median Worker Pay | $150,000 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 146:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | C |
Other Cybersecurity CEOs
Frequently Asked Questions
CrowdStrike's CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 146:1. CEO George Kurtz earns approximately 146 times the median worker's pay of $150,000, as disclosed in the company's SEC DEF 14A proxy statement.
The typical S&P 500 CEO-to-worker pay ratio is around 300:1. CrowdStrike's 146:1 figure is below that benchmark.
The ratio is driven mainly by equity. George Kurtz received $10,966,790 in stock awards and $2,632,030 in option awards in 2026, against base salary of $2,193,358. The median CrowdStrike employee earns $150,000.
George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, earned $21.9M in total compensation in 2026, including $11.0M in stock awards and $2,193,358 in base salary.
George Kurtz is the chief executive officer of CrowdStrike (CRWD).
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates CrowdStrike as C (60/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of 34.8%, revenue growth of 25.5%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
More about CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike's CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 146:1 — CEO George Kurtz earned $21.9M in 2026, or 146 times the median CrowdStrike employee's pay of $150,000. That is below the S&P 500 median of roughly 300:1.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.