Jim Vena, CEO of Union Pacific (UNP), earned $12.0M in total compensation in 2023. Union Pacific receives a Pay-for-Performance grade of C (52/100), with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio of 160:1 and a say-on-pay shareholder approval of 85.0%. The company's 3-year total shareholder return is -1.9%.
How Union Pacific CEO Pay Compares
Jim Vena's $12.0M total compensation is 0% below the Railroads industry median of $12.0M. The 160:1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 0% lower than the industry average of 160:1.
Jim Vena, CEO of Union Pacific (UNP), received $12.0M in total reported compensation. The package mix typical at this scale: a small base salary, a larger stock-award component, and performance-tied incentives that vest over multiple years based on relative TSR or earnings benchmarks.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio is 160x, meaning Jim Vena's $12.0M total comp is roughly that many times the median $75,000 earned by Union Pacific workers. The ratio is in the mid-range of S&P 500 disclosures and reflects the standard public-company compensation structure. Performance has been muted across the three-year window: -1.9% TSR, -7.5% revenue change. Stagnant performance combined with substantial CEO pay is the classic setup for proxy-advisor opposition on say-on-pay votes.
Shareholders supported the compensation package at 85% 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. Union Pacific operates in Railroads with 33,000 employees and $24.1B in annual revenue, and currently carries a market capitalization of $150.0B. 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 Union Pacific (UNP).
Compensation Breakdown
Jim Vena's $12.0M total compensation package for fiscal year 2023 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2021 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2020 | $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
Jim Vena, CEO of Union Pacific (UNP), 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
Jim Vena, CEO of Union Pacific (UNP), 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.
Union Pacific has a Pay-for-Performance Score of C (52/100). The company's 3-year total shareholder return is -1.9%, and the say-on-pay shareholder vote passed with 85.0% approval.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Union Pacific is 160:1. The median worker at Union Pacific earns $75K per year, while CEO Jim Vena earns $12.0M in total compensation.
Union Pacific employs approximately 33,000 people. The company operates in the Railroads industry within the Industrials sector, generating $24.1B in annual revenue.