How Much Does the Tesla CEO Make?
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, earned $15.0M in total compensation in 2025, including $7.5M in stock awards and $1,500,000 in base salary.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: How Much Does the Tesla 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.
Elon Musk leads Tesla (TSLA), a Automobiles company with approximately 140,473 employees. In the 2025 proxy statement filed with the SEC, Elon Musk's total compensation of $15,000,000 included $1,500,000 in base salary, $0 in cash bonus, $7,500,000 in stock awards, and $1,800,000 in option awards.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Tesla is 231:1, meaning the CEO earns 231x the median worker's pay of $65,000. Over the past three years, Tesla produced a total shareholder return of -4.0% against -1.0% revenue growth. Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates the alignment as C (56/100).
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 95.7% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Strong shareholder support signals broad approval of the pay package.
Key Data
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $15,000,000 |
| Base Salary | $1,500,000 |
| Stock Awards | $7,500,000 |
| Option Awards | $1,800,000 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | $2,250,000 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 231:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | C |
Other Automobiles CEOs
Frequently Asked Questions
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, earned $15.0M in total compensation in 2025, including $7.5M in stock awards and $1,500,000 in base salary.
Elon Musk is the chief executive officer of Tesla (TSLA).
The CEO at Tesla earns approximately 231 times the median worker's pay of $65,000.
In 2025, total compensation of $15,000,000 was composed of $1,500,000 base salary, $0 cash bonus, $7,500,000 stock awards, $1,800,000 option awards, and $2,250,000 in non-equity incentive compensation.
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates Tesla as C (56/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of -4.0%, revenue growth of -1.0%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, earned $15.0M in total compensation in 2025, including $7.5M in stock awards and $1,500,000 in base salary.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.