Highest Paid CEOs at America's Largest Companies

Special Report

Published: May 2, 2019 6:19 pm

Last Updated: August 10, 2020 3:51 pm

Chief executive officers are the highest-ranking — and often highest-profile — employees of any company or organization. They are also usually the highest paid. There are even some major companies where CEOs make over 1,000 times what their employees make.

Whether or not such a pay gap is justified is a matter of debate. The pressures that come with the top job at any major American company, however, are undeniable. CEOs of publicly traded companies are accountable to customers, regulators, shareholders, board members, and their own employees — in both good times and bad.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed CEO compensation packages at the largest, publicly traded American companies by revenue. With only a few exceptions, the largest companies report CEO compensation packages of at least seven figures. The vast majority of these CEOs earn eight figures annually. Some of these CEOs are the richest person in their state and even among the richest in the country.

To rank the highest paid CEOs at America’s largest companies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed total CEO compensation for the 150 largest public companies with the highest reported revenue for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017, unless otherwise noted, as reported by Forbes. All compensation figures and employee counts are as of the last published proxy statement or last published 10-K statement as of the time this data was collected. At some companies, the CEO listed in the most recent proxy no longer holds the top job and is listed as retired. Because software company Oracle has two CEOs, 100 CEOs are included on this list. We included companies that have been merged, acquired, or have gone private since the reported compensation period.

Click here to see the highest paid CEOs at America’s largest companies

Correction: A previous version of this piece incorrectly attributed former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi’s compensation to current CEO Ramon Laguarta. The profile has been changed to list the former CEO. The piece also incorrectly listed United Continental Holdings’ CEO Oscar Munoz’s compensation at $10.2 million, it has been corrected to $10.5 million. Finally, a data error improperly included INTL FCStone Inc CEO Sean M. O’Connor on this list. He has been removed.

101. Michael Kaufmann
> Most recent annual compensation: $8.4 million
> Company: Cardinal Health
> Revenue: $130.0 billion
> Number of employees: 40,400

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100. Pietro Satriano
> Most recent annual compensation: $8.6 million
> Company: US Foods Holding
> Revenue: $24.1 billion
> Number of employees: 25,204

99. Thomas Bené
> Most recent annual compensation: $8.8 million
> Company: Sysco
> Revenue: $55.4 billion
> Number of employees: 45,900

99. Mark Parker
> Most recent annual compensation: $9.5 million
> Company: Nike
> Revenue: $34.4 billion
> Number of employees: 74,400

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98. Tom Hayes
> Most recent annual compensation: $9.5 million (stepped down)
> Company: Tyson Foods
> Revenue: $38.3 billion
> Number of employees: 114,000

97. Charles Lowrey
> Most recent annual compensation: $10.4 million
> Company: Prudential Financial
> Revenue: $59.7 billion
> Number of employees: 49,705

96. Oscar Munoz
> Most recent annual compensation: $10.5 million
> Company: United Continental Holdings
> Revenue: $37.7 billion
> Number of employees: 89,800

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95. Todd Vasos
> Most recent annual compensation: $10.6 million
> Company: Dollar General
> Revenue: $23.5 billion
> Number of employees: 129,000

94. Craig Menear
> Most recent annual compensation: $11.4 million
> Company: Home Depot
> Revenue: $100.9 billion
> Number of employees: 413,000

93. Steven Collis
> Most recent annual compensation: $11.5 million
> Company: AmerisourceBergen
> Revenue: $153.1 billion
> Number of employees: 19,500

92. W. Rodney McMullen
> Most recent annual compensation: $11.5 million
> Company: Kroger
> Revenue: $122.7 billion
> Number of employees: 449,000

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91. W. Douglas Parker
> Most recent annual compensation: $12.2 million
> Company: American Airlines Group
> Revenue: $42.2 billion
> Number of employees: 126,600

90. Antonio Neri
> Most recent annual compensation: $12.6 million
> Company: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
> Revenue: $28.9 billion
> Number of employees: 66,000

89. Jeff Gennette
> Most recent annual compensation: $12.7 million
> Company: Macy’s
> Revenue: $24.8 billion
> Number of employees: 148,300

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88. Michael Roman
> Most recent annual compensation: $12.9 million
> Company: 3M
> Revenue: $31.7 billion
> Number of employees: 91,536

87. Arne Sorenson
> Most recent annual compensation: $12.9 million
> Company: Marriott International
> Revenue: $22.9 billion
> Number of employees: 177,000

86. Thomas Fanning
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.1 million
> Company: Southern
> Revenue: $23.0 billion
> Number of employees: 31,344

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85. Edward Bastian
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.2 million
> Company: Delta Air Lines
> Revenue: $41.2 billion
> Number of employees: 86,564

84. Kevin Johnson
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.4 million
> Company: Starbucks
> Revenue: $22.4 billion
> Number of employees: 277,000

83. Andrew Cecere
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.4 million
> Company: U.S. Bancorp
> Revenue: $24.0 billion
> Number of employees: 72,402

82. Stefano Pessina
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.5 million
> Company: Walgreens Boots Alliance
> Revenue: $118.2 billion
> Number of employees: 290,000

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81. Edward Breen
> Most recent annual compensation: $13.8 million
> Company: DowDuPont Inc.
> Revenue: $62.7 billion
> Number of employees: 98,600

80. Lynn Good
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.0 million
> Company: Duke Energy
> Revenue: $23.2 billion
> Number of employees: 29,060

79. Jim Umpleby
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.0 million
> Company: Caterpillar
> Revenue: $45.6 billion
> Number of employees: 98,400

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78. Susan Patricia Griffith
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.2 million
> Company: Progressive
> Revenue: $26.8 billion
> Number of employees: 33,656

77. Gail Boudreaux
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.2 million
> Company: Anthem
> Revenue: $90.0 billion
> Number of employees: 56,000

76. Marvin Ellison
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.3 million
> Company: Lowe’s
> Revenue: $68.6 billion
> Number of employees: 255,000

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75. Alan Schnitzer
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.6 million
> Company: Travelers Cos.
> Revenue: $28.9 billion
> Number of employees: 30,800

74. Steven Kandarian
> Most recent annual compensation: $14.7 million
> Company: MetLife
> Revenue: $66.2 billion
> Number of employees: 49,000

73. Dirk Van de Put
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.0 million
> Company: Mondelez International
> Revenue: $25.9 billion
> Number of employees: 90,000

72. David Abney
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.1 million
> Company: UPS
> Revenue: $65.9 billion
> Number of employees: 346,415

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71. Michael Long
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.3 million
> Company: Arrow Electronics
> Revenue: $26.8 billion
> Number of employees: 18,800

70. Christopher Crane
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.6 million
> Company: Exelon
> Revenue: $33.5 billion
> Number of employees: 34,621

69. Tim Cook
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.7 million
> Company: Apple
> Revenue: $229.2 billion
> Number of employees: 123,000

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68. Stephen Easterbrook
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.9 million
> Company: McDonald’s
> Revenue: $22.8 billion
> Number of employees: 375,000

67. Timothy Wentworth
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.9 million
> Company: Express Scripts Holding (since acquired by Cigna)
> Revenue: $100.1 billion
> Number of employees: 26,600

66. André Calantzopoulos
> Most recent annual compensation: $15.9 million
> Company: Philip Morris International
> Revenue: $28.7 billion
> Number of employees: 80,600

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65. Bruce D. Broussard
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.3 million
> Company: Humana
> Revenue: $53.8 billion
> Number of employees: 45,900

64. Thomas Kennedy
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.3 million
> Company: Raytheon
> Revenue: $25.3 billion
> Number of employees: 64,000

63. James Quincey
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.4 million
> Company: Coca-Cola
> Revenue: $35.4 billion
> Number of employees: 61,800

62. John Flannery
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.6 million (stepped down)
> Company: General Electric
> Revenue: $122.3 billion
> Number of employees: 313,000

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61. Robert Swan
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.7 million
> Company: Intel
> Revenue: $62.8 billion
> Number of employees: 102,700

60. Hubert Joly
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.8 million
> Company: Best Buy
> Revenue: $42.2 billion
> Number of employees: 125,000

59. Ernie Herrman
> Most recent annual compensation: $16.9 million
> Company: TJX
> Revenue: $35.9 billion
> Number of employees: 235,000

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58. David Ricks
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.2 million
> Company: Eli Lilly
> Revenue: $22.9 billion
> Number of employees: 40,655

57. Richard Fairbank
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.3 million
> Company: Capital One Financial
> Revenue: $30.0 billion
> Number of employees: 49,300

56. S.J. Squeri
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.3 million
> Company: American Express
> Revenue: $35.6 billion
> Number of employees: 55,000

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55. David Taylor
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.4 million
> Company: Procter & Gamble
> Revenue: $66.2 billion
> Number of employees: 95,000

54. David Wichmann
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.4 million
> Company: UnitedHealth Group
> Revenue: $201.2 billion
> Number of employees: 260,000

53. V.M. Rometty
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.6 million
> Company: IBM
> Revenue: $79.1 billion
> Number of employees: 366,000

52. Gregory Hayes
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.6 million
> Company: United Technologies
> Revenue: $59.8 billion
> Number of employees: 204,700

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51. James Hackett
> Most recent annual compensation: $17.8 million
> Company: Ford Motor
> Revenue: $156.8 billion
> Number of employees: 202,000

50. John Hammergren
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.1 million (stepped down)
> Company: McKesson
> Revenue: $198.5 billion
> Number of employees: 64,500

49. Alex Gorsky
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.2 million
> Company: Johnson & Johnson
> Revenue: $76.5 billion
> Number of employees: 134,000

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48. Timothy Sloan
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.4 million (stepped down)
> Company: Wells Fargo
> Revenue: $97.7 billion
> Number of employees: 262,700

47. Samuel Allen
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.5 million
> Company: Deere
> Revenue: $29.7 billion
> Number of employees: 60,476

46. Robert Bradway
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.6 million
> Company: Amgen
> Revenue: $22.8 billion
> Number of employees: 20,800

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45. Thomas Wilson
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.7 million
> Company: Allstate
> Revenue: $38.5 billion
> Number of employees: 42,680

44. Mark Bertolini
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.8 million
> Company: Aetna (since sold to CVS)
> Revenue: $60.5 billion
> Number of employees: 47,950

43. Joseph Gorder
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.8 million
> Company: Valero Energy
> Revenue: $88.4 billion
> Number of employees: 10,015

42. Darren Woods
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.8 million
> Company: Exxon Mobil
> Revenue: $244.4 billion
> Number of employees: 71,200

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41. David Cordani
> Most recent annual compensation: $18.9 million
> Company: Cigna
> Revenue: $41.6 billion
> Number of employees: 46,000

40. Dion Weisler
> Most recent annual compensation: $19.2 million
> Company: HP
> Revenue: $52.1 billion
> Number of employees: 49,000

39. Darius Adamczyk
> Most recent annual compensation: $19.2 million
> Company: Honeywell International
> Revenue: $40.5 billion
> Number of employees: 131,000

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38. Greg Garland
> Most recent annual compensation: $19.3 million
> Company: Phillips 66
> Revenue: $91.6 billion
> Number of employees: 14,600

37. I. Read
> Most recent annual compensation: $19.5 million (stepped down)
> Company: Pfizer
> Revenue: $52.5 billion
> Number of employees: 90,200

36. J. R. Luciano
> Most recent annual compensation: $19.6 million
> Company: Archer Daniels Midland
> Revenue: $60.8 billion
> Number of employees: 31,300

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35. Steve MollenKopf
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.0 million
> Company: Qualcomm
> Revenue: $22.9 billion
> Number of employees: 33,800

34. M.K. Wirth
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.6 million
> Company: Chevron
> Revenue: $134.5 billion
> Number of employees: 51,900

33. David Solomon
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.7 million
> Company: Goldman Sachs Group
> Revenue: $42.3 billion
> Number of employees: 36,600

32. Phebe Novakovic
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.7 million
> Company: General Dynamics
> Revenue: $31.0 billion
> Number of employees: 98,800

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31. Brian Duperreault
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.9 million
> Company: AIG
> Revenue: $49.5 billion
> Number of employees: 49,800

30. Kenneth Frazier
> Most recent annual compensation: $20.9 million
> Company: Merck
> Revenue: $40.1 billion
> Number of employees: 69,000

29. Richard Gonzalez
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.3 million
> Company: AbbVie
> Revenue: $28.2 billion
> Number of employees: 29,000

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28. Charles Robbins
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.3 million
> Company: Cisco Systems
> Revenue: $48.0 billion
> Number of employees: 72,900

27. R. Milton Johnson
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.4 million (stepped down)
> Company: HCA Healthcare
> Revenue: $47.7 billion
> Number of employees: 221,491

26. Marillyn Hewson
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.5 million
> Company: Lockheed Martin
> Revenue: $51.0 billion
> Number of employees: 100,000

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25. Mary Barra
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.9 million
> Company: General Motors
> Revenue: $157.3 billion
> Number of employees: 180,000

24. Mark Sutton
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.9 million
> Company: International Paper
> Revenue: $23.3 billion
> Number of employees: 56,000

23. Larry Merlo
> Most recent annual compensation: $21.9 million
> Company: CVS Health
> Revenue: $184.8 billion
> Number of employees: 203,000

2-. Hans Vestberg
> Most recent annual compensation: $22.2 million
> Company: Verizon
> Revenue: $126.0 billion
> Number of employees: 155,400

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19. Mark Zuckerberg
> Most recent annual compensation: $22.6 million
> Company: Facebook
> Revenue: $40.7 billion
> Number of employees: 25,105

18. Brian Moynihan
> Most recent annual compensation: $22.8 million
> Company: Bank of America Corp.
> Revenue: $100.3 billion
> Number of employees: 209,376

17. C. Douglas McMillon
> Most recent annual compensation: $22.8 million
> Company: Walmart
> Revenue: $500.3 billion
> Number of employees: 2,300,000

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16. Dennis Muilenburg
> Most recent annual compensation: $23.4 million
> Company: Boeing
> Revenue: $93.4 billion
> Number of employees: 140,800

15. R.M. Lance
> Most recent annual compensation: $23.4 million
> Company: ConocoPhillips
> Revenue: $32.6 billion
> Number of employees: 11,400

14. Michael Corbat
> Most recent annual compensation: $24.2 million
> Company: Citigroup
> Revenue: $88.0 billion
> Number of employees: 209,000

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13. Wesley Bush
> Most recent annual compensation: $24.2 million (stepped down)
> Company: Northrop Grumman
> Revenue: $25.8 billion
> Number of employees: 70,000

12. Miles White
> Most recent annual compensation: $24.3 million
> Company: Abbott Laboratories
> Revenue: $27.4 billion
> Number of employees: 99,000

11. Indra Nooyi
> Most recent annual compensation: $24.5 million (stepped down)
> Company: PepsiCo
> Revenue: $62.8 billion
> Number of employees: 263,000

10. Satya Nadella
> Most recent annual compensation: $25.8 million
> Company: Microsoft
> Revenue: $90.0 billion
> Number of employees: 124,000

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9. John Milligan
> Most recent annual compensation: $26.0 million (stepped down)
> Company: Gilead Sciences
> Revenue: $26.1 billion
> Number of employees: 10,000

8. Michael Neidorff
> Most recent annual compensation: $26.1 million
> Company: Centene
> Revenue: $48.6 billion
> Number of employees: 33,700

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7. James Gorman
> Most recent annual compensation: $28.2 million
> Company: Morgan Stanley
> Revenue: $43.6 billion
> Number of employees: 57,633

6. R. Stephenson
> Most recent annual compensation: $29.1 million
> Company: AT&T
> Revenue: $160.5 billion
> Number of employees: 254,000

5. James Dimon
> Most recent annual compensation: $31.0 million
> Company: J.P. Morgan Chase
> Revenue: $113.9 billion
> Number of employees: 252,539

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4. Brian Roberts
> Most recent annual compensation: $32.5 million
> Company: Comcast
> Revenue: $84.5 billion
> Number of employees: 164,000

3. Robert Iger
> Most recent annual compensation: $65.6 million
> Company: Disney
> Revenue: $55.1 billion
> Number of employees: 199,000

2. Safra Catz
> Most recent annual compensation: $108.3 million (tie)
> Company: Oracle
> Revenue: $37.7 billion
> Number of employees: 138,000

1. Mark Hurd
> Most recent annual compensation: $108.3 million (tie)
> Company: Oracle
> Revenue: $37.7 billion
> Number of employees: 138,000

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