How Much Does the Berkshire Hathaway CEO Make?
Greg Abel, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, earned $25.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $12.5M in stock awards and $2,500,000 in base salary.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: How Much Does the Berkshire Hathaway 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.
Greg Abel leads Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), a Diversified Financials company with approximately 396,500 employees. In the 2024 proxy statement filed with the SEC, Greg Abel's total compensation of $25,000,000 included $2,500,000 in base salary, $0 in cash bonus, $12,500,000 in stock awards, and $3,000,000 in option awards.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Berkshire Hathaway is 313:1, meaning the CEO earns 313x the median worker's pay of $80,000. Over the past three years, Berkshire Hathaway produced a total shareholder return of -2.0% against 0.9% revenue growth. Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates the alignment as D (44/100).
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 85.5% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Moderate shareholder support suggests some investor concern with pay practices.
Key Data
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $25,000,000 |
| Base Salary | $2,500,000 |
| Stock Awards | $12,500,000 |
| Option Awards | $3,000,000 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | $3,750,000 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 313:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | D |
Frequently Asked Questions
Greg Abel, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, earned $25.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $12.5M in stock awards and $2,500,000 in base salary.
Greg Abel is the chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B).
The CEO at Berkshire Hathaway earns approximately 313 times the median worker's pay of $80,000.
In 2024, total compensation of $25,000,000 was composed of $2,500,000 base salary, $0 cash bonus, $12,500,000 stock awards, $3,000,000 option awards, and $3,750,000 in non-equity incentive compensation.
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates Berkshire Hathaway as D (44/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of -2.0%, revenue growth of 0.9%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
Greg Abel, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, earned $25.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $12.5M in stock awards and $2,500,000 in base salary.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.