The median compensation package for CEOs at S&P 500 companies rose nearly 6% in 2025 to $17.7 million, according to an Associated Press survey analyzing data from 337 executives. The increase reflects company boards rewarding top executives for higher profits and stock prices while providing incentives to retain talent.

Meanwhile, the median employee at these companies earned $89,744, representing a 4.7% increase from the previous year. At half the companies surveyed, it would take a median worker 200 years to earn what the CEO made in one year, up from 192 years in the prior survey.

Several CEOs received extraordinary compensation packages tied to long-term performance goals. Tesla CEO Elon Musk received a package valued at $132.3 billion in stock awards, contingent on meeting ambitious targets over 10 years. Welltower CEO Shankh Mitra received the second-largest package at $821.1 million, primarily in stock awards tied to the company's tripled stock price since 2020.

Banking executives also saw significant increases. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon received nearly $119 million, including $80 million in stock tied to a five-year vesting period. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser received $95.8 million, the highest compensation for a woman CEO in the survey's history, including awards for reorganizing the company.

The compensation packages increasingly consist of stock awards rather than traditional salary and bonuses, with awards often tied to specific performance metrics like stock price targets or operational improvements. Some companies, including Broadcom, are beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence metrics into their executive compensation plans.