Comparison of CEO compensation to top incomes and wages, 1947–2012

0.1% household income ratio 0.1% wage earners ratio 1947–1979 average: 3.25 1947–1979 average: 1.11
1947 1.206 3.62 3.25 1.11
1948 1.111 3.21 3.25 1.11
1949 1.254 3.62 3.25  1.11
1950 1.048 3.08 3.25 1.11
1951 1.137 3.08 3.25 1.11
1952 1.193 3.01 3.25 1.11
1953 1.340 3.35 3.25 1.11
1954 1.205 3.49 3.25 1.11
1955 1.172 3.51 3.25 1.11
1956 1.205 3.47 3.25 1.11
1957 1.314 3.87 3.25 1.11
1958 1.279 3.86 3.25 1.11
1959 1.260 4.32 3.25 1.11
1960 1.072 3.33 3.25 1.11
1961 0.987 3.61 3.25 1.11
1962 1.083 3.62 3.25 1.11
1963 1.118 3.73 3.25 1.11
1964 1.002 3.48 3.25 1.11
1965 0.907 3.39 3.25 1.11
1966 0.979 3.20 3.25 1.11
1967 0.845 3.16 3.25 1.11
1968 0.750 3.09 3.25 1.11
1969 0.843 3.16 3.25 1.11
1970 1.063 3.06 3.25 1.11
1971 0.912 2.91 3.25 1.11
1972 0.955 2.99 3.25 1.11
1973 1.054 2.78 3.25 1.11
1974 1.186 2.75 3.25 1.11
1975 1.193 2.34 3.25 1.11
1976 1.138 2.38 3.25 1.11
1977 1.250 2.49 3.25 1.11
1978 1.348 2.88 3.25 1.11
1979 1.178 3.33 3.25 1.11
1980 1.094 2.81 3.25 1.11
1981 1.160 3.04 3.25 1.11
1982 1.034 2.85 3.25 1.11
1983 1.019 2.85 3.25 1.11
1984 0.941 2.62 3.25 1.11
1985 1.052 3.18 3.25 1.11
1986 0.731 2.99 3.25 1.11
1987 1.334 2.68 3.25 1.11
1988 0.966 2.43 3.25 1.11
1989 1.137 2.68 3.25 1.11
1990 1.282 2.81 3.25 1.11
1991 1.523 3.19 3.25 1.11
1992 1.456 2.90 3.25 1.11
1993 1.557 3.11 3.25 1.11
1994 1.905 4.07 3.25 1.11
1995 1.821 4.19 3.25 1.11
1996 2.182 5.61 3.25 1.11
1997 2.218 5.39 3.25 1.11
1998 2.320 6.03 3.25 1.11
1999 2.386 6.16 3.25 1.11
2000 2.897 7.93 3.25 1.11
2001 3.280 7.03 3.25 1.11
2002 2.960 6.22 3.25 1.11
2003 2.539 5.52 3.25 1.11
2004 2.171 5.39 3.25 1.11
2005 1.781 5.10 3.25 1.11
2006 1.781 5.29 3.25 1.11
2007 1.487 4.45 3.25 1.11
2008 1.798 4.65 3.25 1.11
2009 2.080 4.71 3.25 1.11
2010 2.037 4.95 3.25 1.11
2011 2.035 4.70 3.25 1.11
2012 1.8545 4.750 3.25 1.11

Source: Authors' analysis of Kaplan (2012b) and Mishel et al. (2012, Table 4.8)

View the underlying data on epi.org.