Special Report
Highest Paid CEOs At America's Largest Companies
Published:
Last Updated:
For many people, 2020 was a challenging year. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout caused millions of American workers to lose their jobs or to have their hours cut. Yet not everyone struggled.
There were over 100 CEOs who made over $19 million in 2020 in salary, bonuses, stock awards, and other forms of compensation. These executives ran some of the largest corporations in the country.
To determine the highest paid CEOs at America’s largest companies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed CEO compensation data filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the latest fiscal year for the top 200 companies from the Fortune 500.
The highest paid CEOs come from a number of different industries — tech, finance, media, auto, oil and gas, and more. Nearly all of them ran a business that made billions of dollars in annual revenue, despite the challenging economic circumstances.
While most working Americans are paid primarily through a wage or salary, this is typically not the case for CEOs of major corporations. Multimillion-dollar executive compensation packages tend to consist largely of stock options and performance incentives designed to reward performance. These packages can inflate compensation well beyond the norm, even for Fortune 500 CEOs — this is how one CEO took home over $211 million, while another received $11 billion.
CEOs are not just responsible for the bottom line performance of their business, but the day-to-day operations that affect the people working there. Many companies prioritize work-life balance as a way to attract top-tier talent to their organization and to keep current employees satisfied with their jobs. These are the best companies to work for.
Click here to see the highest paid CEOs at America’s Largest Companies.
100. Brian Cornell
> 2020 compensation: $19,755,188
> Company: Target
> Employees: 409,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $93.6 billion
[in-text-ad]
99. Mauricio Gutierrez
> 2020 compensation: $19,758,552
> Company: NRG Energy, Inc.
> Employees: 4,104
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.1 billion
98. Joe Gorder
> 2020 compensation: $19,922,417
> Company: Valero Energy
> Employees: 9,964
> Company revenue, 2020: $60.1 billion
97. David Cordani
> 2020 compensation: $19,929,493
> Company: Cigna
> Employees: 72,963
> Company revenue, 2020: $160.4 billion
96. Sanjay Mehrotra
> 2020 compensation: $19,995,488
> Company: Micron Technology
> Employees: 40,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.4 billion
95. Richard Fairbank
> 2020 compensation: $20,119,971
> Company: Capital One Financial
> Employees: 51,985
> Company revenue, 2020: $31.6 billion
94. Bob Bradway
> 2020 compensation: $20,131,408
> Company: Amgen
> Employees: 24,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $25.4 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
93. Giovanni Caforio
> 2020 compensation: $20,150,902
> Company: Bristol-Myers Squibb
> Employees: 30,250
> Company revenue, 2020: $42.5 billion
92. Michael L. Tipsord
> 2020 compensation: $20,266,506
> Company: State Farm Insurance
> Employees: 57,582
> Company revenue, 2020: $78.9 billion
91. Sasan K. Goodarzi
> 2020 compensation: $20,324,211
> Company: Intuit Inc
> Employees: 10,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $7.7 billion
90. Charles W. Scharf
> 2020 compensation: $20,392,046
> Company: Wells Fargo
> Employees: 268,531
> Company revenue, 2020: $80.3 billion
[in-text-ad]
89. Robert B. Ford
> 2020 compensation: $20,450,586
> Company: Abbott Laboratories
> Employees: 109,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $34.6 billion
88. Mike Roman
> 2020 compensation: $20,700,347
> Company: 3M
> Employees: 94,987
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.2 billion
87. John J. Haley
> 2020 compensation: $20,732,005
> Company: Willis Towers Watson Plc
> Employees: 46,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.4 billion
86. James M. Cracchiolo
> 2020 compensation: $20,794,703
> Company: Ameriprise Financial Inc
> Employees: 12,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $11.8 billion
85. Kathy J. Warden
> 2020 compensation: $20,807,144
> Company: Northrop Grumman
> Employees: 97,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $36.8 billion
84. Gregory Hayes
> 2020 compensation: $20,970,890
> Company: Raytheon Technologies
> Employees: 181,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $56.6 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
83. John Stankey
> 2020 compensation: $21,020,917
> Company: AT&T
> Employees: 230,760
> Company revenue, 2020: $171.8 billion
82. Robert Iger
> 2020 compensation: $21,031,389
> Company: Walt Disney
> Employees: 203,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.4 billion
81. Albert Bourla
> 2020 compensation: $21,033,570
> Company: Pfizer
> Employees: 78,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $41.9 billion
80. David Calhoun
> 2020 compensation: $21,074,052
> Company: Boeing
> Employees: 141,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $58.2 billion
[in-text-ad]
79. Tom Wilson
> 2020 compensation: $21,126,386
> Company: Allstate
> Employees: 42,010
> Company revenue, 2020: $44.8 billion
78. Alan D. Schnitzer
> 2020 compensation: $19,000,000
> Company: Travelers
> Employees: 30,294
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.0 billion
77. Ramon Laguarta
> 2020 compensation: $21,486,982
> Company: PepsiCo
> Employees: 291,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $70.4 billion
76. Hans Vestberg
> 2020 compensation: $19,097,582
> Company: Verizon Communications
> Employees: 132,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $128.3 billion
75. Mike Salvino
> 2020 compensation: $21,733,120
> Company: DXC Technology
> Employees: 138,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $19.6 billion
74. Jensen Huang
> 2020 compensation: $19,316,401
> Company: Nvidia
> Employees: 18,975
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.7 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
73. Liam K. Griffin
> 2020 compensation: $21,800,439
> Company: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
> Employees: 10,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $3.4 billion
72. Phebe Novakovic
> 2020 compensation: $19,328,499
> Company: General Dynamics
> Employees: 100,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $37.9 billion
71. Brad Jacobs
> 2020 compensation: $21,812,660
> Company: XPO Logistics
> Employees: 119,750
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.3 billion
70. Daniel S. Glaser
> 2020 compensation: $19,500,000
> Company: Marsh & McLennan
> Employees: 76,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $17.2 billion
[in-text-ad]
69. Sonia Syngal
> 2020 compensation: $21,905,521
> Company: Gap Inc
> Employees: 117,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $13.8 billion
68. André Calantzopoulos
> 2020 compensation: $21,936,798
> Company: Philip Morris International
> Employees: 71,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $28.7 billion
67. Rick Beckwitt & Jonathan M. Jaffe
> 2020 compensation: $21,983,118 & $19,352,016
> Company: Lennar
> Employees: 9,495
> Company revenue, 2020: $22.5 billion
66. Juan R. Luciano
> 2020 compensation: $21,994,433
> Company: Archer Daniels Midland
> Employees: 38,332
> Company revenue, 2020: $64.4 billion
65. Kevin M. Stein
> 2020 compensation: $22,060,463
> Company: Transdigm Group Inc
> Employees: 14,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $5.1 billion
64. Kenneth C. Frazier
> 2020 compensation: $22,088,429
> Company: Merck
> Employees: 73,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $48.0 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
63. Jim Fitterling
> 2020 compensation: $22,211,255
> Company: Dow
> Employees: 35,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $38.5 billion
62. Tom Fanning
> 2020 compensation: $22,366,850
> Company: Southern
> Employees: 27,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.4 billion
61. Rodney McMullen
> 2020 compensation: $22,373,574
> Company: Kroger
> Employees: 465,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $132.5 billion
60. Robert Swan
> 2020 compensation: $22,389,500
> Company: Intel
> Employees: 110,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $77.9 billion
[in-text-ad]
59. Roger W. Ferguson Jr.
> 2020 compensation: $22,399,082
> Company: TIAA
> Employees: 14,953
> Company revenue, 2020: $41.6 billion
58. Doug McMillon
> 2020 compensation: $22,574,358
> Company: Walmart
> Employees: 2,300,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $559.2 billion
57. Daniel P. Amos
> 2020 compensation: $22,613,727
> Company: Aflac Inc
> Employees: 6,239
> Company revenue, 2020: $22.1 billion
56. David Taylor
> 2020 compensation: $22,905,128
> Company: Procter & Gamble
> Employees: 99,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $71.0 billion
55. Michael Corbat
> 2020 compensation: $22,984,090
> Company: Citigroup
> Employees: 210,153
> Company revenue, 2020: $88.8 billion
54. Larry J. Merlo
> 2020 compensation: $23,043,822
> Company: CVS Health
> Employees: 256,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $268.7 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
53. Gregory Q. Brown
> 2020 compensation: $23,046,559
> Company: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
> Employees: 6,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $7.4 billion
52. Marvin Ellison
> 2020 compensation: $23,075,881
> Company: Lowe’s
> Employees: 280,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $89.6 billion
51. Chuck Robbins
> 2020 compensation: $23,163,710
> Company: Cisco Systems
> Employees: 77,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $49.3 billion
50. Jeffrey W. Martin
> 2020 compensation: $23,181,719
> Company: Sempra Energy
> Employees: 4,396
> Company revenue, 2020: $3.8 billion
[in-text-ad]
49. Jim Taiclet
> 2020 compensation: $23,360,369
> Company: Lockheed Martin
> Employees: 114,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.4 billion
48. Dan Schulman
> 2020 compensation: $23,362,072
> Company: PayPal Holdings
> Employees: 26,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.5 billion
47. Mary Barra
> 2020 compensation: $23,657,987
> Company: General Motors
> Employees: 155,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $122.5 billion
46. Dave Ricks
> 2020 compensation: $23,708,629
> Company: Eli Lilly
> Employees: 35,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $24.5 billion
45. James L. Robo
> 2020 compensation: $23,720,707
> Company: NextEra Energy
> Employees: 14,900
> Company revenue, 2020: $18.0 billion
44. David Solomon
> 2020 compensation: $23,940,657
> Company: Goldman Sachs Group
> Employees: 40,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $53.5 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
43. Richard A. Gonzalez
> 2020 compensation: $24,007,591
> Company: AbbVie
> Employees: 47,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $45.8 billion
42. Stephen Squeri
> 2020 compensation: $24,221,319
> Company: American Express
> Employees: 63,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $38.2 billion
41. Matt Maddox
> 2020 compensation: $24,571,980
> Company: Wynn Resorts Ltd
> Employees: 27,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $2.1 billion
40. Michael Neidorff
> 2020 compensation: $24,956,777
> Company: Centene
> Employees: 71,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $111.1 billion
[in-text-ad]
39. Greg C. Garland
> 2020 compensation: $24,989,374
> Company: Phillips 66
> Employees: 14,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.5 billion
38. Mark Zuckerberg
> 2020 compensation: $25,288,265
> Company: Facebook
> Employees: 58,604
> Company revenue, 2020: $86.0 billion
37. Ari Bousbib
> 2020 compensation: $25,575,986
> Company: Iqvia Holdings Inc.
> Employees: 70,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $11.4 billion
36. Marc Benioff
> 2020 compensation: $25,740,775
> Company: Salesforce
> Employees: 56,606
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.3 billion
35. Jayson A. Adair
> 2020 compensation: $25,766,923
> Company: Copart Inc
> Employees: 7,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $2.2 billion
34. Kevin Hourican
> 2020 compensation: $25,872,425
> Company: Sysco
> Employees: 57,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $52.9 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
33. Steve Mollenkopf
> 2020 compensation: $25,930,689
> Company: Qualcomm
> Employees: 41,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $23.5 billion
32. Brian Moynihan
> 2020 compensation: $25,940,571
> Company: Bank of America
> Employees: 212,505
> Company revenue, 2020: $93.8 billion
31. Alfred Kelly Jr.
> 2020 compensation: $26,364,928
> Company: Visa
> Employees: 20,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.8 billion
30. Marc Casper
> 2020 compensation: $26,390,073
> Company: Thermo Fisher Scientific
> Employees: 84,362
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.2 billion
[in-text-ad]
29. Lisa T. Su
> 2020 compensation: $27,141,878
> Company: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
> Employees: 12,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.8 billion
28. Larry Fink
> 2020 compensation: $27,356,432
> Company: BlackRock
> Employees: 16,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.2 billion
27. Ryan Lance
> 2020 compensation: $28,054,551
> Company: ConocoPhillips
> Employees: 9,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $19.3 billion
26. Ralph Izzo
> 2020 compensation: $28,616,508
> Company: Public Service Enterprise Group Inc
> Employees: 12,788
> Company revenue, 2020: $1.9 billion
25. Michael Wirth
> 2020 compensation: $29,016,686
> Company: Chevron
> Employees: 47,736
> Company revenue, 2020: $94.7 billion
24. James Gorman
> 2020 compensation: $29,558,524
> Company: Morgan Stanley
> Employees: 68,097
> Company revenue, 2020: $52.0 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
23. Alex Gorsky
> 2020 compensation: $29,575,974
> Company: Johnson & Johnson
> Employees: 134,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $82.6 billion
22. Kelly S. King
> 2020 compensation: $29,647,812
> Company: Truist Financial Corp
> Employees: 50,236
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.4 billion
21. Paul C. Reilly
> 2020 compensation: $29,866,688
> Company: Raymond James Financial Inc
> Employees: 14,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $8.0 billion
20. Sam Hazen
> 2020 compensation: $30,397,771
> Company: HCA Healthcare
> Employees: 235,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $51.5 billion
[in-text-ad]
19. Michael J. Hennigan
> 2020 compensation: $31,068,530
> Company: Marathon Petroleum Corp
> Employees: 43,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $69.0 billion
18. Jamie Dimon
> 2020 compensation: $31,500,000
> Company: JPMorgan Chase
> Employees: 255,351
> Company revenue, 2020: $129.5 billion
17. David V. Auld
> 2020 compensation: $32,536,520
> Company: D.R. Horton
> Employees: 9,716
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.3 billion
16. Brian L. Roberts
> 2020 compensation: $32,713,267
> Company: Comcast
> Employees: 168,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $103.6 billion
15. Hamid R. Moghadam
> 2020 compensation: $34,432,677
> Company: Prologis, Inc.
> Employees: 1,945
> Company revenue, 2020: $4.4 billion
14. David Goeckeler
> 2020 compensation: $35,723,376
> Company: Western Digital
> Employees: 63,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.7 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
13. Tom Rutledge
> 2020 compensation: $38,846,705
> Company: Charter Communications
> Employees: 96,100
> Company revenue, 2020: $48.1 billion
12. Robert M. Bakish
> 2020 compensation: $38,973,768
> Company: ViacomCBS
> Employees: 24,225
> Company revenue, 2020: $26.2 billion
11. Daniel O’Day
> 2020 compensation: $39,318,251
> Company: Gilead Sciences
> Employees: 13,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $24.7 billion
10. Reed Hastings & Ted Sarandos
> 2020 compensation: $43,226,024 & $39,318,251
> Company: Netflix
> Employees: 9,400
> Company revenue, 2020: $25.0 billion
[in-text-ad]
9. Satya Nadella
> 2020 compensation: $44,321,788
> Company: Microsoft
> Employees: 163,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $143.0 billion
8. Shantanu Narayen
> 2020 compensation: $45,889,954
> Company: Adobe Inc.
> Employees: 22,516
> Company revenue, 2020: $12.9 billion
7. Jay Farner
> 2020 compensation: $51,727,166
> Company: Rocket Companies
> Employees: 24,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.0 billion
6. John Donahoe
> 2020 compensation: $53,499,980
> Company: Nike
> Employees: 75,400
> Company revenue, 2020: $37.4 billion
5. Kevin P. Clark
> 2020 compensation: $62,534,658
> Company: Aptiv Plc
> Employees: 151,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $13.1 billion
4. Larry Culp
> 2020 compensation: $73,192,032
> Company: General Electric
> Employees: 184,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $79.6 billion
[in-text-ad-2]
3. Richard K. Templeton
> 2020 compensation: $74,818,054
> Company: Texas Instruments Inc
> Employees: 30,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $14.5 billion
2. Chad R. Richison
> 2020 compensation: $211,131,206
> Company: Paycom Software, Inc.
> Employees: 4,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $0.8 billion
1. Elon Musk
> 2020 compensation: $11,000,000,000
> Company: Tesla
> Employees: 70,757
> Company revenue, 2020: $31.5 billion
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.