Chief executives of the world's largest corporations saw their pay rise sharply in 2025 while wage growth for workers remained largely stagnant across major economies, according to a new global analysis of executive compensation and labor earnings.
The report, released by Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), found that CEO pay increased 20 times faster than workers' wages in 2025 across 1,500 of the world's largest corporations. Average CEO compensation reached $8.4 million in pay and bonuses, up from $7.6 million in 2024, while real wages for the average global worker rose just 0.5 percent.
The analysis shows CEO pay rising 11 percent in real terms over the year, compared with a 12 percent decline in global real wages since 2019. CEO compensation has increased 54 percent in real terms over the same period.
"What the data shows is that we cannot have a conversation about the affordability crisis without talking about extreme inequality, and in particular the extreme inequality between CEO pay and worker pay," Patricia Stottlemyer, labor rights policy lead for Oxfam America, told CNBC.
In the United States, CEO pay among S&P 500 companies rose 25.6 percent between 2024 and 2025, while average hourly earnings for private-sector workers increased 1.3 percent in real terms. Analysis cited by CNBC shows CEO pay increased about 20.4 times faster than worker wages over the period.
At least four CEOs of major global companies, including Blackstone, Broadcom and Goldman Sachs, received compensation packages exceeding $100 million in 2025. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan received more than $205 million in total pay and bonuses, while the top 10 highest-paid CEOs collectively earned over $1 billion.
The report finds the average worker would need roughly 490 years to match the annual earnings of a typical CEO based on current pay levels.
Nearly 1,000 billionaires tracked in the analysis received $79 billion in dividends in 2025, equivalent to about $2,500 per second. The report notes that billionaire wealth continues to rise faster than wages, with large-scale dividend payouts concentrated among a small group of global investors.
A separate analysis referenced by Fast Company also documents the widening gap between executive compensation and worker earnings over time, showing CEO pay growth consistently outpacing wage increases for average employees.
Inflation and cost-of-living pressures remain part of the broader economic backdrop. Recent U.S. inflation data shows price growth has moderated but continues to reflect persistent increases in housing, food, and energy costs, according to an IBT report on inflation trends and price pressures.
Public sentiment data reflects continued financial strain. Another IBT report on a different poll shows that cost of living remains the top financial concern for many Americans, with more than half saying their personal financial situation is worsening. Another poll referenced in IBTimes reporting indicates widespread views that life has become less affordable in recent years, alongside sustained concern about rising household expenses.
Across the 1,500 companies covered in the Oxfam-ITUC analysis, the average gender pay gap stood at 16 percent, with women earning less than male counterparts on average across corporate workforces.
CEO compensation across major corporations is recorded at an average of $8.4 million in 2025, compared with $5.5 million in 2019, reflecting a 54 percent increase in real terms over the period.
