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America’s Highest-Paid CEOs in 2025 Include Musk, Nadella
A report ranked the highest-paid chief executives in the United States for 2025.
Elon Musk was listed first with a package valued at $132.3 billion.
This was not money paid to him in cash.
Most of it was the estimated value of Tesla shares awarded to him.
Musk must meet company goals and remain at Tesla for the shares to vest.
Other highly paid CEOs included Dylan Field, Shankh Mitra, Kasra Nejatian, and RJ Scaringe.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was listed with $96 million in compensation.
Across the 100 highest-paid CEOs, the middle compensation figure was $39.4 million, an increase from the previous year.
Elon Musk ranked first with a reported $132.3 billion compensation package tied to a Tesla stock award.
Dylan Field, Shankh Mitra, and Kasra Nejatian ranked second through fourth with $864 million, $821 million, and $741 million, respectively.
RJ Scaringe, Niraj Shah, Hock Tan, and David Zaslav were among the other highest-paid CEOs listed.
Satya Nadella and Jane Fraser each received reported compensation of $96 million, while Charles W. Scharf received $95 million.
Median compensation for the 100 highest-paid US CEOs reached $39.4 million in 2025, up 35.8% from the previous year.
- Who
- Elon Musk topped the list, followed by executives including Dylan Field, Shankh Mitra, Kasra Nejatian, RJ Scaringe, and Satya Nadella.
- What
- A ranking reported compensation packages for America’s highest-paid CEOs in 2025.
- Where
- The ranking covers CEOs of companies in the United States.
- When
- The compensation figures cover 2025; the article also cites a Forbes wealth ranking as of September 2026.
- Why
- The reported totals include salary, bonuses, stock and option awards, and other benefits, with stock awards valued when granted.
Key facts
- Top-ranked CEO
- Elon Musk
- Musk’s reported package
- $132.3 billion
- Second-ranked CEO
- Dylan Field, with $864 million
- Microsoft CEO compensation
- Satya Nadella was listed at $96 million
- Median compensation
- $39.4 million among the 100 highest-paid US CEOs in 2025
- Year-over-year increase
- Median compensation rose 35.8% from the previous year
- Nature of Musk’s award
- A grant-date valuation of a long-term Tesla stock award, rather than cash paid in 2025
Sources
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