Full Breakdown
Elon Musk’s $132 Billion Pay Tops CEO Rankings
6/6/2026, 8:40:03 PM
Record-Breaking CEO Compensation
Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla, received total compensation of $132,298,849,867 for 2025. The package, almost entirely stock-based, dwarfs the $864,358,634 awarded to Dylan Field of Figma and the $821,090,355 earned by Welltower’s Shankh S. Mitra. Musk’s pay ratio of 2,522,203:1 compares his earnings to the median Tesla employee’s salary.
Background & Context
The compensation data derive from Equilar’s annual survey, which the New York Times has published since 2007. In 2025 the median pay for the 100 highest-paid CEOs rose 35.8 % to $39.4 million, a record high, and seven CEOs earned at least $100 million, the most ever in a single year.
Top Ten CEO Pay Figures
The ten highest-paid CEOs in 2025 were: Elon Musk (Tesla) $132.3 billion (pay ratio 2,522,203:1), Dylan Field (Figma) $864.4 million (pay ratio N/A), Shankh S. Mitra (Welltower) $821.1 million (pay ratio 6,569:1), Kasra Nejatian (Opendoor) $741.1 million (pay ratio 7,581:1), Robert J. Scaringe (Rivian) $402.6 million (pay ratio 4,458:1), Niraj Shah (Wayfair) $280.8 million (pay ratio 5,702:1), Hock E. Tan (Broadcom) $205.3 million (pay ratio 543:1), David M. Zaslav (Warner Bros. Discovery) $165.0 million (pay ratio 1,378:1), David M. Solomon (Goldman Sachs) $118.9 million (pay ratio 740:1) and Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks) $99.7 million (pay ratio 442:1). Compensation figures include salary, stock grants, bonuses and other benefits for 2025.
Official Statements & Responses
Equilar, which compiled the data, said the figures reflect remuneration—including salary, stock grants, bonuses—and that Musk’s award is contingent on meeting long-term targets for vehicle output, autonomous-driving milestones and robotics. The New York Times noted that Welltower shareholders cast a rare negative “say-on-pay” vote on Shankh S. Mitra’s $821 million package, though the vote is nonbinding.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics called the disparity an “egregiously management-friendly” transfer of wealth from shareholders. Supporters argue performance-based stock aligns CEO incentives with shareholders, while opponents highlight the widening gap between executive and worker pay.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Figma’s pay ratio is listed as “N/A,” reflecting missing employee compensation data. Musk’s $132 billion figure depends on meeting future performance thresholds, so actual cash received may differ from the headline amount.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Even among the nation’s best-paid corporate chiefs, Elon Musk stands alone.” — New York Times editorial
- “5 million times what the typical Tesla employee made; it’s 153 times the compensation of the second-highest paid chief executive.” — New York Times editorial
- “One critic called it an “egregiously management-friendly” transfer of wealth from shareholders.” — New York Times editorial
- “Supporters argue that performance-based stock awards align CEO incentives with shareholder interests, while critics point to the widening gap between executive and worker pay.” — BusinessReport analysis
What’s Next: Shareholder Scrutiny
The Welltower negative vote suggests rising shareholder willingness to challenge large pay packages. If similar “say-on-pay” contests increase, firms may reconsider the design of performance-linked awards.
