At many major U.S. companies, the CEO earns far more than the average employee — but in some cases, the gap is jaw-dropping.
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A new report from the Institute for Policy Studies revealed that among the 100 S&P 500 corporations with the lowest median worker pay, the average CEO-to-worker pay ratio ballooned to 632 to 1 in 2024. CEOs at these companies earned an average of $17.2 million, while median worker pay was just $35,570.
Here are a few of the companies where the pay gap between executives and employees is especially extreme.
Amazon
- CEO pay: $1.6 million
- Median worker pay: $37,181
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 43 to 1
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DoorDash
- CEO pay: $300,000
- Median worker pay: $38,112
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 8 to 1
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Home Depot
- CEO pay: $15.6 million
- Median worker pay: $35,196
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 443 to 1
Lowe’s
- CEO pay: $20.2 million
- Median worker pay: $30,606
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 659 to 1
Starbucks
- CEO pay: $95.8 million
- Median worker pay: $14,674
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 6,666 to 1
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Ulta Beauty
- CEO pay: $12.5 million
- Median worker pay: $11,078
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 1,130 to 1
Walmart
- CEO pay: $27.4 million
- Median worker pay: $29,469
- CEO-to-median worker pay ratio: 930 to 1
Editor’s note: Data was sourced from the Institute for Policy Studies’ 2025 Executive Excess report.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: CEO Pay vs. Worker Wages: 7 Companies With Biggest Gaps
