Tesla CEO Elon Musk is the highest-paid CEO in the U.S. in 2026. Equilar valued his stock-based pay at $132.3 billion in a report for The New York Times. The Wall Street Journal estimated it could be worth as much as $158 billion using a different method. After Musk, large one-time stock awards at Figma, Welltower, and Opendoor helped several lesser-known founders rank among the highest-paid CEOs.
Compared with the 2024 rankings, the 2026 list looks very different. TPG’s Jon Winkelried and Sixth Street’s Harvey Schwartz were near the top in 2024, but neither made the 2026 top 10. They were replaced by founders of companies that recently went public.
This change reflects a new pay trend. Companies are giving fewer regular raises and more large, one-time stock awards tied to major milestones.
Who Is the Highest-Paid Chief Executive Officer Right Now?
Musk ranks far ahead of other CEOs in major 2026 pay rankings. Most of his pay comes from long-term Tesla stock, based on the company meeting major business and share-price goals. A Delaware court case delayed the payout, but the state’s Supreme Court later restored the package.
The exact value differs by source because each tracker uses a different method to calculate long-term stock awards. However, they all agree on one thing: Musk earned far more than any other U.S. CEO.
Top 10 Highest-Paid CEOs in the USA (2026 Edition)
The rankings are based on the latest SEC filings and 2026 news reports. Some top executives received one-time stock awards for an IPO or a new leadership role. These awards are not part of their regular yearly pay.
| Rank | CEO | Company | Reported Compensation |
| 1 | Elon Musk | Tesla | $132.3B–$158B |
| 2 | Dylan Field | Figma | $864.4 million |
| 3 | Shankh Mitra | Welltower | $821.1 million |
| 4 | Kaz Nejatian | Opendoor Technologies | $741.1 million |
| 5 | Robert J. Scaringe | Rivian | $402.6 million |
| 6 | Niraj Shah | Wayfair | $280.8 million |
| 7 | Maky Zanganeh | Summit Therapeutics | $246.0 million |
| 8 | Hock Tan | Broadcom | $205.3 million |
| 9 | Peter Gassner | Veeva Systems | $172.4 million |
| 10 | David Zaslav | Warner Bros. Discovery | $165.0 million |
1. Elon Musk – Tesla
- Compensation: $132.3 billion–$158 billion
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has a very unusual pay package. Tesla makes electric cars, batteries, and solar products. Musk does not get a fixed salary. Instead, his pay depends on Tesla’s stock price and the company reaching major business goals.
The Delaware Supreme Court restored Musk’s long-term incentive award after years of shareholder lawsuits over its size. Tesla’s board created the award to reward Musk if the company reached major market-value goals. Tesla has since achieved most of those goals.
SpaceX’s IPO helped Musk’s net worth pass $1 trillion, making him the first person to reach that level. It also placed him at the top of major CEO pay rankings for 2026.
2. Dylan Field – Figma
- Compensation: $864.4 million
Dylan Field co-founded Figma, a design software company, and has been its CEO since 2012. His total pay rose from $90.7 million in 2024 to $864.4 million in 2025.
That increase mostly came from a one-time stock award linked to Figma’s IPO. Companies often give founder-CEOs a large stock award when they go public instead of smaller yearly awards.
Figma’s stock market debut attracted strong investor interest. The rise in software and AI-related stocks also increased the value of Field’s grant, making it worth much more than a normal yearly package.
3. Shankh Mitra – Welltower
- Compensation: $864.4 million
Few people would expect a senior housing CEO to rank among the highest-paid CEOs. But Welltower CEO Shankh Mitra ranked third, with his pay rising from $20.2 million in 2024 to $821.1 million in 2025.
Welltower owns and operates senior-housing communities and medical office buildings across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Mitra has led the company since 2020, steering it through an aging-population growth story that has made Welltower one of the best-performing real estate stocks on the market.
Shareholders have also benefited, with the stock returning 45.2% over three years. This strong performance supports Mitra’s high pay package.
4. Kaz Nejatian – Opendoor Technologies
- Compensation: $741.1 million
Kaz Nejatian became CEO of Opendoor Technologies, an online company that buys and sells homes directly from people. In his first full year as CEO, he received $741.1 million, mostly through a new stock package instead of salary or bonuses.
Opendoor’s business has faced challenges as the housing market struggled. The large stock award shows how strongly the board is betting on Nejatian to turn the company around.
Before joining Opendoor, Nejatian held senior positions at Shopify. Investors are now watching to see if his experience can help Opendoor return to growth.
5. Robert J. Scaringe – Rivian
- Compensation: $402.6 million
RJ Scaringe founded Rivian, which makes electric trucks, SUVs, and delivery vans. He remains the company’s CEO. His 2025 pay was worth $402.6 million and was linked to Rivian’s production and delivery goals as the company works toward steady profits.
Scaringe’s pay has changed a lot over the years. He earned about $1 million in 2020 and $422 million in 2021 when Rivian went public. His pay then fell in the following years. This shows that his earnings depend more on company targets and stock awards than on a regular salary.
Rivian has increased its production capacity and formed new partnerships. Scaringe’s large new award shows that investors remain confident in Rivian’s future growth.
6. Niraj Shah – Wayfair
- Compensation: $280.8 million
Niraj Shah co-founded Wayfair, an online furniture and home goods company, and has been its CEO since the beginning. For years, he earned a base salary of only a few hundred thousand dollars, which was much lower than that of most public-company CEOs.
That changed in 2025 when a large stock award pushed his total pay above $280 million. The award came as Wayfair’s stock price improved and the company worked to cut costs and return to growth after a tough period for online retail.
Shah’s pay follows a common pattern for founder CEOs: a modest salary for years, followed by a large stock award to keep the leader in place for future growth.
7. Maky Zanganeh – Summit Therapeutics
- Compensation: $246.0 million
Maky Zanganeh leads Summit Therapeutics, a biotech company developing cancer treatments. Her total pay rose sharply to $246 million in 2025.
Summit’s stock gained nearly 97% over three years after positive results from its main cancer drug trial. Biotech companies often link CEO pay to stock performance and clinical trial results.
Zanganeh’s higher pay reflects the company’s strong performance and the gains made by its shareholders.
8. Hock Tan – Broadcom
- Compensation: $205.3 million
Hock Tan has led Broadcom for more than a decade and is one of the most consistent CEOs on this list. His total pay in 2025 was $205.3 million.
Broadcom focuses on acquisitions and AI chips that power data centers and machine-learning systems. This strategy has helped shareholders, with Broadcom’s stock gaining nearly 68% over three years.
Tan’s pay changes widely from year to year. This is because much of his compensation depends on Broadcom’s performance over several years, not just one year.
9. Peter Gassner – Veeva Systems
- Compensation: $172.4 million
Peter Gassner founded Veeva Systems, a major software company for drug and healthcare businesses. He has been its CEO since 2007 and received $172.4 million in total pay in 2025.
Veeva makes software for clinical trials, regulatory work, and sales. Strong investor interest has increased the company’s stock price and boosted the value of Gassner’s stock-based pay.
Like other founder-CEOs, Gassner earned a modest salary for many years. A large stock award later pushed his total pay above $100 million.
10. David Zaslav – Warner Bros. Discovery
- Compensation: $165.0 million
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, has seen his pay fluctuate significantly over the years. In 2025, he earned a total of $165 million as the company worked on a major restructuring plan.
Warner Bros. Discovery owns many TV networks, movie studios, and streaming services. Since the 2022 merger, Zaslav has focused on cutting costs and reducing debt. Despite challenges in the media industry, the company’s stock has returned 25.8% to shareholders over three years.
His pay includes a salary, stock awards, and performance bonuses. This type of pay is common for CEOs of large public media companies facing challenges from streaming and fewer people using cable TV.
Where Familiar Names Rank
Some famous U.S. CEOs earned less than the leaders on this list. Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman made $125.6 million, while Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon earned $118.1 million.
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella received $96.5 million, and Citigroup’s Jane Fraser earned $95.8 million. Apple’s Tim Cook made about $74.6 million and did not make the top 10. Even these lower-ranked CEO pay packages are far more than most Americans earn in a lifetime.
Why Is CEO Pay Climbing So Fast in 2026?
The average CEO at an S&P 500 company earned $18.9 million in the latest fiscal year, up 7%. In comparison, the median American worker earned $49,500, up just 3%. This pay gap continues to grow, and the 2026 figures show it even more clearly.
Several factors are driving this increase:
- AI-driven stock market growth: Strong investor interest in AI, chips, and cloud technology has pushed stock prices higher. This has also increased executive pay linked to company shares.
- Large one-time stock awards: Many companies now give new CEOs one very large stock package instead of smaller yearly awards. This has helped some CEOs quickly reach very high pay levels.
- More highly paid CEOs: A record 217 CEOs now earn more than $25 million a year, based on Boardroom Alpha’s review of SEC filings.
- Keeping top CEOs: Companies are offering large pay packages to keep experienced leaders. This is especially important as AI talent is in high demand and competitors may try to hire them.
How Is CEO Pay Actually Calculated?
A CEO’s total pay is usually more than just a salary. It often includes several parts:
- Base salary – a fixed amount, often modest relative to total pay for top executives.
- Cash bonus – tied to short-term performance targets like revenue or earnings.
- Stock awards – shares granted outright, typically vesting over several years as a long-term incentive.
- Stock options – the right to buy shares later at a set price, valuable mainly if the share price rises.
- Other compensation – benefits, perks, and retirement contributions.
Across all U.S. publicly traded companies, the median CEO earns about $8.3 million, according to Boardroom Alpha, which tracks more than 22,000 executives. This is much lower than the $18.9 million average for S&P 500 CEOs. It shows that huge pay packages like those of Musk and Field are rare.
Shareholders also have a say in CEO pay. Each year, public companies hold a non-binding “say-on-pay” vote. Investors can support or reject the pay package, but the vote does not force the company to make changes. A poor result can still pressure the board to review the CEO’s pay.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s 2026 pay package is far higher than any other U.S. CEO. His Tesla stock award is worth between $132.3 billion and $158 billion, depending on how it is calculated. Other top CEOs earn hundreds of millions, not tens of billions.
Large one-time stock awards helped CEOs like Dylan Field and Shankh Mitra reach the top five. A record 217 CEOs now earn more than $25 million a year, showing how important stock awards have become in executive pay.
The average S&P 500 CEO earns about $18.9 million a year, while the median worker earns $49,500. Well-known CEOs like Tim Cook and Satya Nadella rank outside the top 10 because their pay packages are smaller and more balanced.
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FAQs
- Who is the highest-paid CEO in the US in 2026?
Tesla’s Elon Musk holds the title, with a stock award valued between $132.3 billion and $158 billion depending on the source’s valuation method.
- How much does the highest-paid CEO earn per day?
Spread evenly across a year, a $132.3 billion package works out to roughly $362 million a day. Tesla actually pays out the award over several years and ties it to performance targets, not daily cash.
- Which industries have the highest-paid CEOs?
Technology, real estate and proptech, biotechnology, and financial services currently dominate the list, largely because their stocks have posted the sharpest recent gains.
- Is CEO pay mostly salary or stock?
Most CEO pay comes from stock, not salary. For nearly every executive on this list, stock awards and stock options make up the overwhelming majority of total compensation.
