Now Reading: CEO pay at US top firms hits record Rs 200 crore, AFL-CIO finds
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CEO pay at US top firms hits record Rs 200 crore, AFL-CIO finds
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The AFL-CIO report fuels the familiar ‘boss vs worker’ narrative, but the real story is more nuanced. Excluding Musk, the 21% pay jump to $22.8 million looks huge until you recall US worker wages rose only 3% to $69,770. Boards cite shareholder value, and 90% of investors backed pay plans. Yet special awards, like Welltower’s $821 million package passing with just 19% support, show shareholder patience fraying. The test is whether more such awards get voted down in 2026, not just debated.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
