Highest-Paid CEOs in the U.S. & the World

You'll be shocked to learn how much these executives earn annually.

By Robin Hartill, CFP – Updated Jul 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Median CEO compensation in S&P 500 was $171 million in 2024, 10% higher than 2023.
Top CEO salaries often include substantial stock awards and minimal fixed salaries.
Top-paid CEOs can be found mainly in high-tech sectors like AI and semiconductor manufacturing.

Median compensation for CEOs in the S&P 500 reached $171 million in 2024, according to research by Equilar and the Associated Press -- an increase of about 10% from 2023. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median American worker has weekly earnings of $1,194 -- which translates to a median salary of $62,088, assuming workers are paid for 52 weeks of labor.

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A person in a suit is holding a cigar while seated in an expensive-looking leather chair. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Data source: C-Suite Comp. Totals reflect 2023 compensation.
Name	Company (Ticker)	Compensation Actually Paid (2024)
Elon Musk	Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)	$1.403 billion
Alexander Karp	Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR)	$1.099 billion
Hock E. Tan	Broadcom (NYSE:AVGO)	$767 million
Brian Armstrong	Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN)	$680 million
Safra Catz	Oracle (NYSE:ORCL)	$304 million
Brian Chesky	Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB)	$303 million
Jon Winkelried	TPG (NASDAQ:TPG)	$295 million
Jeff T. Green	The Trade Desk (NASDAQ:TTD)	$291 million
Adam Foroughi	AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP)	$271 million
Nikesh Arora	Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW)	$266 million

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3. Hock E. Tan, Broadcom: $767 million

Tan has been the president and CEO of the semiconductor company Broadcom (NYSE:AVGO) since 2006. Helped by the AI infrastructure buildout, Broadcom has dramatically increased its value in recent years. The company was worth $245 billion in early 2023 and more than $800 billion by the latter half of 2024.

Tan's reported compensation in 2023 was $161 million, consisting of a $1.2 million salary plus a $160.5 million stock award. The higher $767 million amount for compensation actually paid results from adjustments to account for the fair value of the stock awards.

4. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase: $680 million

Armstrong is the co-founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange service Coinbase (COIN -0.25%). Coinbase went public in 2021 and reached its peak stock price in the same year. In mid-2025, the stock was trading around its all-time highs in the mid-$300 range. Armstrong also founded the nonprofit Givecrypto.org in 2018 and has signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment to distribute most of his wealth to charitable organizations.

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Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the use of machines to mimic human intelligence.

5. Safra A. Catz, Oracle: $304 million

Catz stepped in as CEO of software company Oracle (ORCL -0.62%) in 2014 after co-founder Larry Ellison resigned from the role. According to SEC filings, Catz has earned a base salary of $950,000 since 2012.

In the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024, Catz also received a cash bonus of $5.2 million. The rest of her compensation consists primarily of equity awards under a plan that has been in place since fiscal 2018. The plan vests stock options when the company meets market capitalization and operational targets.

6. Brian Chesky, Airbnb: $303 million

Chesky is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb (ABNB +0.20%). In 2023, he earned an annual salary of $1 plus $295,125 in miscellaneous compensation. The rest of his earnings relate to changes in the value of vested and unvested equity awards.

Chesky's personal net worth is estimated at $12.6 billion. Like Armstrong, Chesky has signed the Giving Pledge, committing to donate the net proceeds of his CEO pay to charitable causes.

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7. Jon Winkelried, TPG: $295 million

Winkelried has been the CEO of private equity firm TPG (TPG +1.59%) since 2015. The company went public in 2022 and has since more than doubled its stock price under Winkelried's leadership.

Winkelried earned a salary of $509,615 in 2023, plus stock awards of $189 million and other compensation of $13 million. The remaining $100 million or so came from the value-related adjustments required to calculate the compensation actually paid.

8. Jeff T. Green, The Trade Desk: $291 million

Green founded the digital advertising firm The Trade Desk (TTD +3.36%) in 2009 and took the company public in 2016. Adjusting for a split in 2021, The Trade Desk stock traded below $5 in its early days. It now tops $100. Green earned a salary of $1 million in 2023 plus $4.7 million in nonequity incentive compensation. Options and stock awards comprise the remaining value in his compensation package.

Green's net worth is estimated to be $4.3 billion. As with other executives on this list, he has committed via the Giving Pledge to donate 90% of his wealth during his lifetime or at his death.

9. Adam Foroughi, AppLovin: $271 million

Foroughi is the co-founder and CEO of mobile game maker AppLovin (APP -2.39%). He funded the company between 2011 and 2018 before receiving $400 million in capital from private equity firm KKR (KKR +2.25%). AppLovin went public in 2021 and has more than doubled in value since.

Foroughi's 2023 salary was $400,000, so he earns the bulk of his pay from equity awards. His estimated net worth is $5.2 billion.

10. Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto Networks: $266 million

Arora has been chairman and CEO of cybersecurity provider Palo Alto Networks (PANW +5.01%) since mid-2018. Under his leadership, the company has increased its value by more than 400%.

Arora's salary for the fiscal year ending in July 2024 was $1 million. He also earned $1.2 million in nonequity incentive plan compensation and $1.6 million in other compensation. As with most of the highly paid CEOs on this list, equity awards comprise the bulk of his pay package.

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About the Author

Robin Hartill, CFP, is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool. Robin’s work has also been published by Yahoo Finance, USA Today, and Penny Hoarder. She is a graduate of the University of Florida.

TMFRobinHartill

Robin Hartill has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Airbnb, AppLovin, KKR, Netflix, Oracle, Palantir Technologies, Tesla, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global, Lowe's Companies, and Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Highest-Paid CEOs in 2026

You'll be shocked to learn how much these executives earn annually.

Key Points

3. Hock E. Tan, Broadcom: $767 million

4. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase: $680 million

Artificial Intelligence

5. Safra A. Catz, Oracle: $304 million

6. Brian Chesky, Airbnb: $303 million

7. Jon Winkelried, TPG: $295 million

8. Jeff T. Green, The Trade Desk: $291 million

9. Adam Foroughi, AppLovin: $271 million

10. Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto Networks: $266 million

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The top 10 highest-paid CEOs

Highly paid nonprofit CEOs

1. Elon Musk, Tesla: $1.4 billion

2. Alexander Karp, Palantir Technologies: $1.1 billion

5. Safra A. Catz, Oracle: $304 million

6. Brian Chesky, Airbnb: $303 million

7. Jon Winkelried, TPG: $295 million

8. Jeff T. Green, The Trade Desk: $291 million

9. Adam Foroughi, AppLovin: $271 million

10. Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto Networks: $266 million

3. Hock E. Tan, Broadcom: $767 million

4. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase: $680 million

10. Theodore Sarandos, Netflix: $61.9 million

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