How Much More Do These CEOs Make Than Their Employees?

The word bloated usually comes to mind when thinking about diets high in sodium — and the salaries of top CEOs.

Since the 1970s, CEO compensation has grown almost 1,000 percent and ballooned to amounts that exceed the average person’s comprehension, according to data from PayScale. But as the chief executives of the country have grown accustomed to living larger, wages for American workers have barely budged in decades.

To find out how much more CEOs make compared to their employees, GOBankingRates examined the CEO-to-worker wage gap using public data and employee surveys collected by PayScale and Equilar.

Click through to see some of the highest-paid CEOs and how much they make compared to their workers.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $1,655,464
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $93,800
• Difference in salary: $1,561,664
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 18 to 1

Groupon is an e-commerce destination where you can score deals on local entertainment, consumer products or live events. Although its stock price — and popularity among shoppers — is nowhere near where it once was in 2014, since Williams took over as CEO in late 2015, the stock has stabilized.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $1,931,776
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $59,200
• Difference in salary: $1,872,576
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 33 to 1

Bank of America has been in business for more than 200 years and serves more than 67 million customers and small-business clients. It’s also worth more than $400 billion, according to GOBankingRates’ evaluation. Moynihan earns the big bucks, but not egregiously more than other employees.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $2,466,500
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $111,000
• Difference in salary: $2,355,500
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 22 to 1

Celebrating his 10th year as CEO of Intuit, a global financial software company, Smith has been known to watch TED Talks and take selfies with other employees during the work day, reports Business Insider. The median pay at this company is six figures, and employees get to take advantage of another big perk: Intuit is one of the many companies that will pay you to work from home.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $2,597,243
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $123,000
• Difference in salary: $2,474,243
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 21 to 1

There’s no competing with Weiner, the CEO of the world’s largest professional network, for online visibility. Under Weiner’s leadership, LinkedIn was acquired by Microsoft for $26.2 billion in 2016.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $2,821,789
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $82,600
• Difference in salary: $2,739,189
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 34 to 1

Fairbank has been the CEO of Capital One, the third-biggest U.S. credit card lender, for three decades. As of January 2018, he’s a newly minted member of the billionaires club.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $3,146,391
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $63,500
• Difference in salary: $3,082,891
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 50 to 1

Bertolini has served as CEO of Aetna, one of the nation’s largest healthcare insurance and benefits providers, since 2010. Bertolini is handsomely compensated for leading the company that serves almost 40 million people and 22.1 million medical members. Employees can take advantage of many perks at this company. In fact, Aetna is one of the companies that help employees pay off student loans.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $3,523,379
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $35,600
• Difference in salary: $3,487,779
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 99 to 1

The Target CEO’s salary is roughly what one customer could spend on a shopping trip in the store — when they only went in for one item.

The median wage for Target is employees is considered a living wage for just one adult and no children in Minneapolis, Target’s headquarters.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $3,653,210
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $111,000
• Difference in salary: $3,542,210
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 33 to 1

EBay is one of the e-commerce giants to emerge unscathed from the dotcom bubble. Since its founding in 1995, Wenig is the third CEO in the company’s history.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $3,995,468
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $60,700
• Difference in salary: $3,934,768
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 66 to 1

Its stores are filled with rich home furnishings and artisanal cookware, making Williams-Sonoma the envy and aspiration of homebodies and gourmands. CEO Alber’s life is infused with the ideals of Williams-Sonoma, and she’s known as a food- and health-focused executive, reports Forbes.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,081,706
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $120,000
• Difference in salary: $3,961,706
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 34 to 1

Before he arrived at PayPal in 2014, Schulman’s resume was a list of the world’s most influential and recognizable companies, serving as CEO at Priceline.com and Virgin Mobile, group president at American Express, president at Sprint and president at AT&T, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before all of his success, his first salary was about $14,000 a year, reported Business Insider.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,141,613
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $48,400
• Difference in salary: $4,093,213
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 86 to 1

More than 16 million U.S. households are in the good hands of Allstate, one of the businesses changing the world today. Wilson has worked at Allstate since 1995 and has served as CEO since 2007.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,183,138
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $65,500
• Difference in salary: $4,117,638
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 64 to 1

A leading global professional services firm, Aon provides risk, retirement and health solutions. Case is paid over $4 million more than 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries — or about 64 times as much.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,402,567
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $62,100
• Difference in salary: $4,340,467
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 71 to 1

Cordani brings home over $4 million a year as CEO of Cigna, a global insurance provider. Since becoming CEO in 2009, Cordani doubled the size of the company.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,446,371
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $74,600
• Difference in salary: $4,371,771
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 60 to 1

Michael Roman has been with 3M for 30 years, reported CNBC. The median employee salary is nearly $75,000, and the company has been known to offer some of the best retirement plans.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,454,518
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $51,100
• Difference in salary: $4,403,418
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 87 to 1

Wyndham Worldwide, one of the largest global hospitality companies, announced Brown as its CEO in April 2017. Under his leadership, the company is up 2.1 percent since its last earnings report.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,525,946
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $91,600
• Difference in salary: $4,434,346
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 49 to 1

Lance has served as CEO of ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent exploration and production company based on production and reserves, since 2012. The company’s stock has largely remained static over the last five years and currently trades around $70 per share. In the past, Lance has been known to have one of the best CEO salaries and total compensation packages.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $4,837,373
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $77,300
• Difference in salary: $4,760,073
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 63 to 1

Bettinger has served as CEO of Charles Schwab since 2007 and is credited with leading the firm through the financial crisis. He has also grown the company’s client assets by $530 billion, likely earning every penny of his nearly $5 million annual salary.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,038,598
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $86,900
• Difference in salary: $4,951,698
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 58 to 1

Being hailed as a “digital disruptor,” Banga joined MasterCard in 2009 and has steered the company to reach soaring heights with its stock up nearly 30 percent, year to date. In fact, MasterCard is often considered one of the safest stocks for first-time investors.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,111,829
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $88,100
• Difference in salary: $5,023,729
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 58 to 1

A Texas Instruments lifer, Templeton started with the company in 1980 and was promoted to CEO in 2004. The company has seen a strong and steady share price rise of about 71 percent over the last five years.

Click here to find out where he went to college.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,133,256
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $24,600
• Difference in salary: $5,108,656
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 209 to 1

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is expanding its product line and tech capabilities to keep pace with e-commerce giant Amazon and rival Target, reported TechCrunch. McMillon is credited with leading the strategic initiatives.

Click here to learn more about Walmart’s success under its CEO.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,365,501
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $50,400
• Difference in salary: $5,315,101
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 106 to 1

PNC has been serving retail, corporate and institutional banking and assets for 160-plus years. In fact, it’s one of the best national banks of 2018.

Since joining in 2002 as CFO, Demchak has helped bring PNC into the digital age by offering mobile banking and a Virtual Wallet to its customers. He officially became CEO in 2013.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,412,411
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $69,000
• Difference in salary: $5,343,411
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 78 to 1

Valero is the world’s largest independent petroleum refiner and ethanol producer, and Gorder has served as CEO since 2014.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,533,007
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $120,000
• Difference in salary: $5,413,007
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 46 to 1

He’s only the third CEO in the company’s 43-year history, and Microsoft’s stock has soared under Nadella’s vision, reports CNBC. He wants to pull the plug on underperforming products and breathe creativity back in the company by course-correcting its culture. It’s one of the reasons Nadella is considered one of the most motivational leaders today.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,522,415
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $99,800
• Difference in salary: $5,422,615
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 55 to 1

Leading the company that’s responsible for starting the cell phone revolution, Brown is the just the third CEO in the company’s 90-year history and has transformed the company into the worldwide leader in mission critical communications for public safety and commercial enterprises.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,498,830
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $44,300
• Difference in salary: $5,454,530
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 124 to 1

Caesars is synonymous with nightlife, hospitality and casino operations. It has 47 casinos in five countries and more than 600 bars, restaurants and clubs in the U.S. The board took a gamble on hiring Frissora in 2015, and the stock has recently plummeted, reported CNBC.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,795,604
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $79,000
• Difference in salary: $5,716,604
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 73 to 1

It was announced last month that Bush would be stepping down as CEO of defense contracting company Northrop Grumman, effective Jan. 1. The role will be assumed by Kathy Warden, reported CNBC.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $5,825,173
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $73,700
• Difference in salary: $5,751,473
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 79 to 1

Gorsky started as a pharmaceutical sales representative in 1988 and was eventually promoted to CEO of Johnson & Johnson — one of the world’s most well-known companies — in 2012.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $6,099,882
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $109,000
• Difference in salary: $5,990,882
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 56 to 1

Chairman, co-CEO and founder of Salesforce, Benioff’s innovation has yielded a software company valued at $97 billion with sales at $10.48 billion, according to Forbes. He’s really earning his salary of over $6 million — not bad considering he sold his first piece of software for $75, reported Business Insider.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $6,362,036
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $49,300
• Difference in salary: $6,312,736
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 129 to 1

Charter Communications is the parent company of Spectrum Cable and has been crushing its competition among Fortune 500 telecommunications companies by growing its profit up 180.9 percent to $9.9 billion, reports Fortune. Rutledge makes 129 times more than the average worker at his company.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $6,916,621
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $91,200
• Difference in salary: $6,825,421
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 76 to 1

Rometty began her career with IBM in 1981 and now serves as CEO, looking ahead to bring the 108-year-old company into the future by leading development in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and blockchain technology.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $7,021,948
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $49,600
• Difference in salary: $6,972,348
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 142 to 1

Murren’s promotion to CEO of MGM Resorts International, a global entertainment company, coincided with the financial crisis. Murren’s efforts have positioned the company to marry the company’s roots of casino entertainment with the growing popularity of esports, according to Medium. In previous reports, MGM Resorts has been named as one of the companies with the most job openings.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $7,121,060
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $77,200
• Difference in salary: $7,043,860
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 92 to 1

Dimon is quite literally a Wall Street fixture — he has a golden reputation, and he is Wall Street’s longest-serving CEO with no plans of going anywhere for another five years, reported The New York Times. Since Dimon took over 13 years ago, the company’s shares have more than doubled, according to Fortune.

Keep reading to learn about Chase’s history and success under its current CEO.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $7,794,762
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $59,400
• Difference in salary: $7,735,362
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 131 to 1

As CEO for the past 11 years, Stephenson has broadened AT&T’s telecommunications scope and invested in becoming a global leader in technology, media, video entertainment, mobility and high-speed internet, IP network services and security.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $8,102,293
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $80,200
• Difference in salary: $8,022,093
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 101 to 1

Corbat has run Citigroup, the world’s global bank, since 2012. He might have traded the corner office suite typically earmarked for CEOs for a cubicle, according to CNBC, but he still makes more than 100 times more than his average employee.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $8,677,074
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $93,100
• Difference in salary: $8,583,974
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 93 to 1

It was announced last month that after 12 years as CEO and chairman of the investment banking, securities and management firm, Blankfein will step down from the position and retire. What Blankfein’s next move will be is unclear, but it’s likely he’s not hurting for cash — he’s been a card-carrying member of the billionaires club since 2015, reported Bloomberg.

• EO compensation in 2017: $9,813,000
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $103,000
• Difference in salary: $9,710,000
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 95 to 1

He’s the founder and CEO of the investment firm BlackRock, and he’s credited as a hero for Wall Street’s comeback after the financial crisis, according to Vanity Fair. Earlier this year, Fink made headlines for his rally cry in an open letter to his fellow Wall Street titans to focus their efforts on social responsibility, reported The New York Times.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $9,817,419
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $89,500
• Difference in salary: $9,727,919
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 110 to 1

Vestberg became CEO on Aug. 1 and will continue to focus the telecommunications company on 5G technology, fiber optics and wireless networks, according to CNN and Fortune.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $9,901,300
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $50,100
• Difference in salary: $9,851,200
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 198 to 1

Cracchiolo has served as CEO of financial planning services company Ameriprise Financial since it spun off from American Express 13 years ago. The wage disparity at Ameriprise Financial is one of the most blatant, as the CEO makes close to $10 million, and the median salary for employees is a modest $50,100 a year. In fact, he’s the highest-paid CEO in this particular state.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $10,527,902
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $80,100
• Difference in salary: $10,447,802
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 131 to 1

A former college athlete, Parker joined Nike — one of the world’s leading apparel brands — in 1979 as one of the company’s first footwear designers. In a time when the future of retail is dim, the company has sales of over $32 billion, reported Forbes. By 2020, Parker has ambitious hopes to boost sales to $50 billion.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $10,716,160
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $80,100
• Difference in salary: $10,636,060
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 134 to 1

Gorman is considered outside of the realm of the typical Wall Street CEO’s pedigree. The Australian started his career as a lawyer and came up not as a banker or trader, but as a consultant. His “outsider” background has paid off in spades for the financial institution — its 2017 profits were nearly triple those of 2014, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $10,782,502
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $60,700
• Difference in salary: $10,721,802
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 178 to 1

Very much the eccentric, Legere doesn’t carry himself like other telecommunications CEOs. He has turned the company into the nation’s third-largest and fastest-growing carrier, all while wearing his signature color of magenta and regularly tweeting with customers.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $11,200,254
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $76,200
• Difference in salary: $11,124,054
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 147 to 1

Hewson joined Lockheed Martin, a global security and aerospace company, more than 35 years ago as an industrial engineer. In 2017, Fortune magazine identified Ms. Hewson as No. 3 on its list of the powerful women in business.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $12,105,481
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $27,900
• Difference in salary: $12,077,581
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 434 to 1

Before he was CEO of a pharmacy, Merlo was a pharmacist. While Merlo made over $12 million last year, the median compensation for a CVS employee falls just above the poverty line for a family of four, which is $25,100, according to HealthCare.gov.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $12,779,784
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $54,700
• Difference in salary: $12,725,084
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 234 to 1

Kramer’s accomplishments during his eight-year tenure as CEO include developing the company’s strategy to build long-term value.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $14,498,000
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $90,200
• Difference in salary: $14,407,800
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 161 to 1

As the CEO of a prescription drug manufacturing company, Ricks has been vocal about changing the drug pricing system, reports CNBC. He took the helm at Eli Lilly and Company — one of the biggest employers in America — in January 2017.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $15,937,828
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $61,500
• Difference in salary: $15,876,328
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 259 to 1

For 12 years, Nooyi — one of the most powerful women in business — was the woman who led PepsiCo, a company whose products are enjoyed by customers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries. Nooyi has served as CEO since 2006, and it was announced this month that she will step down in early 2019, according to The New York Times.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $16,192,752
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $81,600
• Difference in salary: $16,111,152
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 279 to 1

Adamczyk, a Polish immigrant, was appointed as Honeywell’s CEO in March 2017. The Fortune 100 conglomerate invents and manufactures technologies that address some of the world’s most critical challenges around energy, safety, security, productivity and global urbanization.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $16,819,942
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $55,800
• Difference in salary: $16,764,142
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 301 to 1

Roberts is pulling in close to $17 million a year — 301 times more than the average Comcast employee. The company’s share price is down after ongoing attempts to buy 21st Century Fox, reported Bloomberg.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $23,652,883
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $59,900
• Difference in salary: $23,592,983
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 395 to 1

Moonves makes close to $24 million a year — nearly 400 times the median salary at CBS — and is contractually entitled to a $184 million package consisting of a salary and bonus, company stock and a pension close to $1 million if he leaves the network without “cause,” reported CBS News. Allegations of sexual misconduct were recently raised against the media executive and have brought questions about an abrupt exit by the 68-year-old, according to the New Yorker.

• CEO compensation in 2017: $26,208,003
• Median employee compensation in 2017: $71,400
• Difference in salary: $26,136,603
• CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 367 to 1

Iger leads what is certainly one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved brands. CEO since 2005, Iger has expanded the Disney ecosystem to include Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. With each retirement announcement Iger makes, he delays retirement and continues to lead the gigantic media corporation, reported Fortune.

Click through to learn the secret life of a Disneyland employee.

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