How Much Does the Salesforce CEO Make?
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, earned $28.1M in total compensation in 2026, including $14.0M in stock awards and $2,807,200 in base salary.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: How Much Does the Salesforce 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.
Marc Benioff leads Salesforce (CRM), a Software company with approximately 72,682 employees. In the 2026 proxy statement filed with the SEC, Marc Benioff's total compensation of $28,072,000 included $2,807,200 in base salary, $0 in cash bonus, $14,036,000 in stock awards, and $3,368,640 in option awards.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Salesforce is 175:1, meaning the CEO earns 175x the median worker's pay of $160,000. Over the past three years, Salesforce produced a total shareholder return of 36.0% against 25.0% revenue growth. Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates the alignment as A (84/100).
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 89.0% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Moderate shareholder support suggests some investor concern with pay practices.
Key Data
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $28,072,000 |
| Base Salary | $2,807,200 |
| Stock Awards | $14,036,000 |
| Option Awards | $3,368,640 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | $4,210,800 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 175:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | A |
Other Software CEOs
Frequently Asked Questions
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, earned $28.1M in total compensation in 2026, including $14.0M in stock awards and $2,807,200 in base salary.
Marc Benioff is the chief executive officer of Salesforce (CRM).
The CEO at Salesforce earns approximately 175 times the median worker's pay of $160,000.
In 2026, total compensation of $28,072,000 was composed of $2,807,200 base salary, $0 cash bonus, $14,036,000 stock awards, $3,368,640 option awards, and $4,210,800 in non-equity incentive compensation.
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates Salesforce as A (84/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of 36.0%, revenue growth of 25.0%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, earned $28.1M in total compensation in 2026, including $14.0M in stock awards and $2,807,200 in base salary.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.