# CEO pay at US top firms hits record Rs 200 crore, AFL-CIO finds

2026-08-13T22:49:38+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Average CEO pay at S&P 500 companies hit a record $22.8 million (about Rs 200 crore) in 2025, a 21% jump excluding Elon Musk's compensation, according to a study by the AFL-CIO labour federation. Musk’s Tesla package, valued at $158 billion, pushes the average to $340.1 million. The CEO-to-worker pay ratio widened to 312:1 without Musk, and a staggering 5,387:1 including him. Labour secretary-treasurer Fred Redmond said workers are 'pissed off' over inequality, with union membership at a 16-year high. Meanwhile, US mean annual wages rose only 3% to $69,770.

## Coverage

- economictimes.indiatimes.com <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/us-stocks/wall-street-guide/average-pay-of-ceos-of-sp-500-companies-rose-to-record-22-8-million-following-elon-musks-nearly-1-trillion-compensation-afl-cio-finds/articleshow/133223688.cms>

Tags: AFL-CIO, CEO pay, Elon Musk, executive compensation, income inequality, S&P 500
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