Comparison of CEO compensation to top incomes and wages, 1947–2010

Year CEO pay to top income CEO pay to top wages 1947–79 average: 1.11 1947–79 average: 3.08
1947 1.21 3.44 1.11 3.08
1948 1.11 3.04 1.11 3.08
1949 1.25 3.44 1.11 3.08
1950 1.05 2.92 1.11 3.08
1951 1.14 2.93 1.11 3.08
1952 1.19 2.86 1.11 3.08
1953 1.34 3.19 1.11 3.08
1954 1.20 3.31 1.11 3.08
1955 1.17 3.33 1.11 3.08
1956 1.20 3.30 1.11 3.08
1957 1.31 3.67 1.11 3.08
1958 1.28 3.67 1.11 3.08
1959 1.26 4.10 1.11 3.08
1960 1.07 3.16 1.11 3.08
1961 0.99 3.43 1.11 3.08
1962 1.08 3.44 1.11 3.08
1963 1.12 3.54 1.11 3.08
1964 1.00 3.30 1.11 3.08
1965 0.91 3.22 1.11 3.08
1966 0.98 3.04 1.11 3.08
1967 0.84 3.00 1.11 3.08
1968 0.75 2.93 1.11 3.08
1969 0.84 3.00 1.11 3.08
1970 1.06 2.91 1.11 3.08
1971 0.91 2.76 1.11 3.08
1972 0.95 2.84 1.11 3.08
1973 1.05 2.64 1.11 3.08
1974 1.19 2.61 1.11 3.08
1975 1.19 2.22 1.11 3.08
1976 1.14 2.26 1.11 3.08
1977 1.25 2.36 1.11 3.08
1978 1.35 2.73 1.11 3.08
1979 1.18 3.16 1.11 3.08
1980 1.09 2.67 1.11 3.08
1981 1.16 2.89 1.11 3.08
1982 1.03 2.71 1.11 3.08
1983 1.02 2.71 1.11 3.08
1984 0.94 2.49 1.11 3.08
1985 1.05 3.02 1.11 3.08
1986 0.73 2.83 1.11 3.08
1987 1.33 2.54 1.11 3.08
1988 0.97 2.31 1.11 3.08
1989 1.14 2.55 1.11 3.08
1990 1.28 2.67 1.11 3.08
1991 1.52 3.03 1.11 3.08
1992 1.46 2.75 1.11 3.08
1993 1.56 2.95 1.11 3.08
1994 1.90 3.87 1.11 3.08
1995 1.82 3.98 1.11 3.08
1996 2.18 5.33 1.11 3.08
1997 2.22 5.12 1.11 3.08
1998 2.32 5.73 1.11 3.08
1999 2.39 5.85 1.11 3.08
2000 2.90 7.53 1.11 3.08
2001 3.28 6.67 1.11 3.08
2002 2.96 5.91 1.11 3.08
2003 2.54 5.24 1.11 3.08
2004 2.17 5.12 1.11 3.08
2005 1.78 5.02 1.11 3.08
2006 1.78 5.20 1.11 3.08
2007 1.49 4.23 1.11 3.08
2008 1.80 4.58 1.11 3.08
2009 2.08 4.47 1.11 3.08
2010 2.06 4.70 1.11 3.08
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Ratio of CEO compensation to incomes and wages4.702.06CEO pay to top wages1947–79 average: 3.08CEO pay to top income1947–79 average: 1.111/41945195019551960196519701975198019851990199520002005201008

Note: "Top wages" are annual wages of the top 0.1% of wage earners. "Top income" is average annual income of the top 0.1% of households.

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

View the underlying data on epi.org.