How Much Does the Apple CEO Make?
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, earned $38.6M in total compensation in 2025, including $19.3M in stock awards and $3,858,900 in base salary.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: How Much Does the Apple CEO Make?. 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.
Tim Cook leads Apple (AAPL), a Technology Hardware company with approximately 164,000 employees. In the 2025 proxy statement filed with the SEC, Tim Cook's total compensation of $38,589,000 included $3,858,900 in base salary, $0 in cash bonus, $19,294,500 in stock awards, and $4,630,680 in option awards.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Apple is 482:1, meaning the CEO earns 482x the median worker's pay of $80,000. Over the past three years, Apple produced a total shareholder return of 9.2% against 11.0% revenue growth. Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates the alignment as D (44/100).
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 95.9% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Strong shareholder support signals broad approval of the pay package.
Key Data
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $38,589,000 |
| Base Salary | $3,858,900 |
| Stock Awards | $19,294,500 |
| Option Awards | $4,630,680 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | $5,788,350 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 482:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | D |
Frequently Asked Questions
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, earned $38.6M in total compensation in 2025, including $19.3M in stock awards and $3,858,900 in base salary.
Tim Cook is the chief executive officer of Apple (AAPL).
The CEO at Apple earns approximately 482 times the median worker's pay of $80,000.
In 2025, total compensation of $38,589,000 was composed of $3,858,900 base salary, $0 cash bonus, $19,294,500 stock awards, $4,630,680 option awards, and $5,788,350 in non-equity incentive compensation.
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates Apple as D (44/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of 9.2%, revenue growth of 11.0%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, earned $38.6M in total compensation in 2025, including $19.3M in stock awards and $3,858,900 in base salary.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.