CEO Pay

CEO compensation relative to top 0.1% earners is much higher than it was in the 1965–1978 period: Ratio of CEO compensation to top 0.1% wages, 1965–2023

year Ratio of CEO pay to top 0.1% wages 1965–1978 average ratio: 2.6
1965 2.29 2.60
1966 2.41 2.60
1967 2.52 2.60
1968 2.64 2.60
1969 2.59 2.60
1970 2.55 2.60
1971 2.5 2.60
1972 2.45 2.60
1973 2.4 2.60
1974 2.53 2.60
1975 2.66 2.60
1976 2.79 2.60
1977 2.92 2.60
1978 3.06 2.60
1979 3 2.60
1980 2.94 2.60
1981 2.88 2.60
1982 2.82 2.60
1983 2.76 2.60
1984 2.71 2.60
1985 2.65 2.60
1986 2.59 2.60
1987 2.53 2.60
1988 2.47 2.60
1989 2.41 2.60
1990 2.88 2.60
1991 3.35 2.60
1992 3.82 2.60
1993 4.43 2.60
1994 3.86 2.60
1995 4.4 2.60
1996 5.34 2.60
1997 7.01 2.60
1998 9.21 2.60
1999 7.21 2.60
2000 8.94 2.60
2001 5.88 2.60
2002 5.82 2.60
2003 7.48 2.60
2004 7.34 2.60
2005 8.4 2.60
2006 8.14 2.60
2007 7.67 2.60
2008 5.71 2.60
2009 5.54 2.60
2010 6.25 2.60
2011 6.83 2.60
2012 8.9 2.60
2013 8.58 2.60
2014 8.16 2.60
2015 8.09 2.60
2016 7.56 2.60
2017 7.73 2.60
2018 7.63 2.60
2019 8.45 2.60
2020 9.14 2.60
2021 8.26 2.60
2022 9.38 2.60
2023 7.54 2.60
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Economic Policy Institute

Note: Wages of top 0.1% of wage earners reflect W-2 annual earnings, which includes the value of exercised stock options and vested stock awards.

Source: Authors’ analysis of EPI State of Working America Data Library data on top 0.1% wages in Gould and Kandra 2023.

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