Key facts
- CEOs at the 100 lowest-paying S&P 500 corporations earned an average of 614 times more than their median workers in 2025.
- CEO compensation at these firms rose 41.4% from 2019 to 2025, while median worker pay increased 20.7%.
- Inflation outpaced worker pay increases, rising 25.9% between 2019 and 2025.
- The average CEO compensation was $17.5 million, with median worker pay at $36,571.
- These companies spent $108.6 billion on stock buybacks in 2025.
CEOs at the 100 largest, lowest-paying corporations in the U.S. earned an average of 614 times more than their average worker last year, according to an analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS). The report found that between 2019 and 2025, CEO compensation increased by 41.4%, more than double the 20.7% increase in median worker pay at these firms. Inflation during the same period rose 25.9%, outpacing worker wage growth. The average CEO compensation among these low-wage corporations was $17.5 million in 2025, compared to a median worker pay of $36,571. The wealth of at least 36 billionaires is linked to these companies, including members of the Walton family, Jeff Bezos, Mackenzie Scott, and the co-founders of Carvana. Sarah Anderson, lead author of the report, described the pay disparity as a significant societal problem, stating that CEOs appear disconnected from the economic realities faced by their employees. The report also highlighted that many of these low-wage companies employ registered federal lobbyists and have not publicly denounced aggressive immigration enforcement actions that could affect their workforce. Anderson noted that while low-wage workers face cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and may be subject to immigration enforcement, corporate leaders continue to prioritize their own enrichment. Stock buybacks among these firms increased to $108.6 billion in 2025. Walmart, for example, spent $8.1 billion on buybacks, and its former CEO, Doug McMillan, received $29.2 million in compensation in 2025, 958 times the median worker pay at the company.