Comparison of CEO compensation with top 0.1 percent wages, 1947–2016

Year  Ratio of CEO pay to top 0.1% wages 1947–1979 average ratio: 3.18
1947 3.50 3.18
1948 3.10 3.18
1949 3.50 3.18
1950 2.98 3.18
1951 2.98 3.18
1952 2.91 3.18
1953 3.25 3.18
1954 3.37 3.18
1955 3.39 3.18
1956 3.36 3.18
1957 3.74 3.18
1958 3.74 3.18
1959 4.18 3.18
1960 3.22 3.18
1961 3.49 3.18
1962 3.50 3.18
1963 3.61 3.18
1964 3.37 3.18
1965 3.28 3.18
1966 3.10 3.18
1967 3.05 3.18
1968 2.99 3.18
1969 3.06 3.18
1970 2.97 3.18
1971 2.81 3.18
1972 2.89 3.18
1973 2.69 3.18
1974 2.66 3.18
1975 2.26 3.18
1976 2.30 3.18
1977 2.40 3.18
1978 2.78 3.18
1979 3.22 3.18
1980 2.72 3.18
1981 2.94 3.18
1982 2.76 3.18
1983 2.76 3.18
1984 2.54 3.18
1985 3.08 3.18
1986 2.89 3.18
1987 2.59 3.18
1988 2.35 3.18
1989 2.60 3.18
1990 2.72 3.18
1991 3.08 3.18
1992 2.81 3.18
1993 3.01 3.18
1994 3.94 3.18
1995 4.06 3.18
1996 5.43 3.18
1997 5.22 3.18
1998 5.84 3.18
1999 5.96 3.18
2000 7.67 3.18
2001 6.80 3.18
2002 6.02 3.18
2003 5.34 3.18
2004 5.21 3.18
2005 4.94 3.18
2006 5.12 3.18
2007 4.31 3.18
2008 4.50 3.18
2009 4.56 3.18
2010 4.79 3.18
2011 4.89 3.18
2012 5.03 3.18
2013 5.71 3.18
2014 5.55 3.18
2015 5.28 3.18
2016 5.45 3.18

Source: Authors’ analysis of data on top 0.1 percent wages from Mishel and Wolfe 2017 and extrapolation of Kaplan’s (2012) CEO compensation series

View the underlying data on epi.org.