The 10 highest-paid CEOs
2024 was a banner year for CEO pay, which seems to have no limit and set new records
It’s no secret that CEO pay is out of control. A 2024 study from the Economic Policy Institute found that it’s risen an astronomical 1,085% since 1978, compared to a paltry 24% rise in typical workers’ pay.
In 2023, CEOs were paid on average 290 times more than a typical worker, a stark contrast to 1965, when CEOs received about 21 times more than their average employee.
On Monday, the Wall Street Journal released its annual list of the highest-paid executives. It reported a record-breaking year for CEOs, half of whom made $17.1 million or more in 2024, up $1.3 million from the year before.
Continue reading to see the 10 highest-paid CEOs in 2024.
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#10: Greg Peters — Netflix
Netflix (NFLX) co-CEO Greg Peters netted $60.27 million last year, a 50% boost from 2023.
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#9: David Simon — Simon Property Group
David Simon, CEO of the real estate investment trust Simon Property Group (SPG), took home $61.39 million last year, a 294% increase from the year before.
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#8: Ted Sarandos — Netflix
Netflix’s other co-CEO Ted Sarandos took home $61.92 million in 2024, up 24% from 2023.
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#7: Scott Nuttall — KKR
Scott Nuttall, co-CEO of the investment firm KKR (KKR), took home $64.20 million last year, up 36% from 2024.
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#6: David Gitlin — Carrier Global
David Gitlin, CEO of HVAC company Carrier Global (CARR), made $65.73 million last year, up 271% from the year before.
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#5: Joseph Bae — KKR
Joseph Bae, the other co-CEO of KKR, made $73.09 million, up 49% from 2023.
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#4: Tim Cook — Apple
Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook took home $74.61 million in 2024, up 18% from 2023.
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#3: Stephen Schwarzman — Blackstone
Blackstone (BX) CEO Stephen Schwarzman made $84.03 million last year, down 30% from 2023.
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#2: H. Lawrence Culp Jr. — General Electric
GE’s chief executive, H. Lawrence Culp Jr., made $88.95 million last year, up 505% from 2023.
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#1: Rick Smith — Axon Enterprise
Rick Smith, CEO of TASER-maker Axon Enterprise (AXON), made $164.53 million last year, up more than 999%.