John Stankey, CEO of AT&T (T), earned $12.0M in total compensation in 2025. AT&T receives a Pay-for-Performance grade of B (69/100), with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio of 120:1 and a say-on-pay shareholder approval of 93.8%. The company's 3-year total shareholder return is +10.7%.
How AT&T CEO Pay Compares
John Stankey's $12.0M total compensation is 0% below the Telecommunications industry median of $12.0M. The 120:1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 0% lower than the industry average of 120:1.
AT&T (T) disclosed $12.0M in CEO compensation for John Stankey. The package is structured for retention plus performance alignment, with equity awards taking the largest share.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio runs 120x. Lower ratios typically reflect companies with higher-paid workforces (financial services, technology, professional services) where the median worker pay denominator is itself substantial. Three-year performance has been roughly flat — TSR of 10.7% alongside 1.3% revenue growth. Flat performance over a multi-year window is where pay-versus-performance debates get the most heated: large compensation packages without commensurate shareholder returns are the modal complaint at annual meetings.
Shareholders supported the compensation package at 94% on the most recent say-on-pay vote. Solid support without overwhelming endorsement is the typical pattern for established public companies with conventional compensation programs. AT&T operates in Telecommunications with 150,480 employees and $122.4B in annual revenue, and currently carries a market capitalization of $160.0B. Pay comparisons across companies require controlling for these structural factors — a $20M package at a $10B-revenue tech company reads differently than the same package at a $1B-revenue industrial.
Source: SEC EDGAR — DEF 14A proxy statements for AT&T (T).
Compensation Breakdown
John Stankey's $12.0M total compensation package for fiscal year 2025 includes $1.2M in base salary, $6.0M in stock awards, $1.4M in option awards, and $1.8M in bonus and non-equity incentives.
Compensation History
| Year | Salary | Bonus | Stock Awards | Options | Non-Equity | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2024 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2023 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2022 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
All compensation data is sourced from SEC DEF 14A proxy filings submitted to EDGAR. The Economic Policy Institute's CEO pay analysis provides additional context on executive compensation trends across industries.
Named Executive Officers
Peer CEO Compensation
More Telecommunications Companies
John Stankey, CEO of AT&T (T), earns $12.0M in total compensation. This includes base salary, stock awards, option awards, and other incentives as reported in the company's most recent DEF 14A proxy statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
John Stankey, CEO of AT&T (T), earns $12.0M in total compensation. This includes base salary, stock awards, option awards, and other incentives as reported in the company's most recent DEF 14A proxy statement.
AT&T has a Pay-for-Performance Score of B (69/100). The company's 3-year total shareholder return is +10.7%, and the say-on-pay shareholder vote passed with 93.8% approval.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at AT&T is 120:1. The median worker at AT&T earns $100K per year, while CEO John Stankey earns $12.0M in total compensation.
AT&T employs approximately 150,480 people. The company operates in the Telecommunications industry within the Communication Services sector, generating $122.4B in annual revenue.