Published April 5, 2026 · Updated annually
Highest Paid CEOs in 2026: Full List
The median CEO compensation at S&P 500 companies is approximately $14.2M. But the highest-paid executives earn multiples of that. Using data from 209 SEC proxy filings, here are the 25 highest-paid CEOs — along with their Pay-for-Performance Grades.
Top 25 Highest-Paid CEOs
Total compensation includes base salary, stock awards, option awards, non-equity incentive plan compensation, and other benefits as reported in SEC DEF 14A proxy statements.
| Rank | Executive | Company | Total Comp | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Cook | Apple | $666.7M | D |
| 2 | Satya Nadella | Microsoft | $551.3M | D |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | Meta Platforms | $378.7M | C |
| 4 | Andy Jassy | Amazon | $265.4M | B |
| 5 | Jensen Huang | NVIDIA | $245.0M | C |
| 6 | Sundar Pichai | Alphabet | $203.9M | D |
| 7 | Greg Abel | Berkshire Hathaway | $203.1M | F |
| 8 | David Ricks | Eli Lilly | $197.0M | C |
| 9 | Doug McMillon | Walmart | $138.0M | D |
| 10 | Elon Musk | Tesla | $133.6M | C |
| 11 | Hock Tan | Broadcom | $115.2M | D |
| 12 | Ryan McInerney | Visa | $110.5M | B |
| 13 | Ted Sarandos | Netflix | $101.6M | D |
| 14 | Jamie Dimon | JPMorgan Chase | $89.0M | C |
| 15 | Robert Michael | AbbVie | $81.4M | D |
| 16 | Safra Catz | Oracle | $81.3M | D |
| 17 | Michael Miebach | Mastercard | $78.7M | A |
| 18 | Brian Moynihan | Bank of America | $67.1M | A |
| 19 | Ron Vachris | Costco | $65.2M | A |
| 20 | Mike Sievert | T-Mobile US | $62.0M | F |
| 21 | Andrew Witty | UnitedHealth Group | $55.1M | A |
| 22 | Jon Moeller | Procter & Gamble | $54.0M | C |
| 23 | Mike Wirth | Chevron | $50.9M | D |
| 24 | Robert Ford | Abbott Laboratories | $49.5M | C |
| 25 | Ted Decker | Home Depot | $47.1M | C |
What the Pay-Performance Grade Means
A high salary does not automatically mean overpaid. Our Pay-for-Performance Score (0-100, A-F) evaluates whether compensation aligns with company results:
- Total shareholder return, 3yr (40%) — Did the stock price reward investors?
- Revenue growth vs. comp growth (30%) — Is the company growing as fast as the CEO's pay?
- Say-on-pay vote approval (20%) — Do shareholders themselves approve of the pay package?
- CEO-to-worker pay ratio vs. industry peers (10%) — How does the ratio compare to similar companies?
A CEO earning $50M with an A grade is delivering exceptional returns. A CEO earning $20M with an F grade is arguably more overpaid because the pay is not justified by results.
The Compensation Arms Race
CEO pay has grown dramatically relative to worker wages over the past four decades. In 1978, the average CEO-to-worker pay ratio was about 30:1. Today, the average across public companies in our database is 511:1. The primary driver is stock-based compensation, which accounts for 60-80% of total CEO pay at most large companies.
Boards argue that stock-based pay aligns CEO incentives with shareholder interests. Critics counter that stock options reward market conditions as much as executive performance, and that the peer benchmarking process creates a ratchet effect where each new pay package must exceed the industry median.
Explore individual company profiles on our full ranking page to see the complete pay breakdown, historical trends, and performance comparison for any public company CEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
CEO compensation varies year to year based on stock vesting schedules and one-time awards. Check the ranking table above for the current highest-paid executive based on the most recent SEC proxy filings in our database.
Total CEO compensation includes base salary, stock awards (value at grant date), option awards, non-equity incentive plans (cash bonuses), pension value changes, and other compensation (perks, security, travel). These are reported in the Summary Compensation Table of the company's annual proxy statement (DEF 14A).
The Dodd-Frank Act requires public companies to hold a non-binding shareholder vote on CEO compensation at least every three years. While the vote is advisory, a low approval rate (below 70%) puts pressure on boards to adjust pay. Most companies hold the vote annually.
That depends on performance. CEOs with A grades in our system are delivering strong shareholder returns and revenue growth relative to their pay. Those with F grades are not. The data shows that total compensation alone does not predict company performance.
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