Special Report

Highest Paid CEOs At America's Largest Companies

Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Maja Hitij / Getty Images News via Getty Images

For many people, 2020 was a challenging year. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout caused millions of American workers to lose their jobs or to have their hours cut. Yet not everyone struggled.

There were over 100 CEOs who made over $19 million in 2020 in salary, bonuses, stock awards, and other forms of compensation. These executives ran some of the largest corporations in the country.

To determine the highest paid CEOs at America’s largest companies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed CEO compensation data filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the latest fiscal year for the top 200 companies from the Fortune 500.

The highest paid CEOs come from a number of different industries — tech, finance, media, auto, oil and gas, and more. Nearly all of them ran a business that made billions of dollars in annual revenue, despite the challenging economic circumstances.

While most working Americans are paid primarily through a wage or salary, this is typically not the case for CEOs of major corporations. Multimillion-dollar executive compensation packages tend to consist largely of stock options and performance incentives designed to reward performance. These packages can inflate compensation well beyond the norm, even for Fortune 500 CEOs — this is how one CEO took home over $211 million, while another received $11 billion.

CEOs are not just responsible for the bottom line performance of their business, but the day-to-day operations that affect the people working there. Many companies prioritize work-life balance as a way to attract top-tier talent to their organization and to keep current employees satisfied with their jobs. These are the best companies to work for.

Click here to see the highest paid CEOs at America’s Largest Companies.

100. Brian Cornell
> 2020 compensation: $19,755,188
> Company: Target
> Employees: 409,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $93.6 billion

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NRG Energy, Inc.

99. Mauricio Gutierrez
> 2020 compensation: $19,758,552
> Company: NRG Energy, Inc.
> Employees: 4,104
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.1 billion

Darren Carroll / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

98. Joe Gorder
> 2020 compensation: $19,922,417
> Company: Valero Energy
> Employees: 9,964
> Company revenue, 2020: $60.1 billion

Cigna Corporation / Wikimedia Commons

97. David Cordani
> 2020 compensation: $19,929,493
> Company: Cigna
> Employees: 72,963
> Company revenue, 2020: $160.4 billion

SanDisk Corporation / Wikimedia Commons

96. Sanjay Mehrotra
> 2020 compensation: $19,995,488
> Company: Micron Technology
> Employees: 40,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.4 billion

Courtesy of Capital One

95. Richard Fairbank
> 2020 compensation: $20,119,971
> Company: Capital One Financial
> Employees: 51,985
> Company revenue, 2020: $31.6 billion

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

94. Bob Bradway
> 2020 compensation: $20,131,408
> Company: Amgen
> Employees: 24,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $25.4 billion

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news.bms.com

93. Giovanni Caforio
> 2020 compensation: $20,150,902
> Company: Bristol-Myers Squibb
> Employees: 30,250
> Company revenue, 2020: $42.5 billion

Courtesy of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

92. Michael L. Tipsord
> 2020 compensation: $20,266,506
> Company: State Farm Insurance
> Employees: 57,582
> Company revenue, 2020: $78.9 billion

Intuit Inc.

91. Sasan K. Goodarzi
> 2020 compensation: $20,324,211
> Company: Intuit Inc
> Employees: 10,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $7.7 billion

Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images

90. Charles W. Scharf
> 2020 compensation: $20,392,046
> Company: Wells Fargo
> Employees: 268,531
> Company revenue, 2020: $80.3 billion

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Abbott Laboratories / Wikimedia Commons

89. Robert B. Ford
> 2020 compensation: $20,450,586
> Company: Abbott Laboratories
> Employees: 109,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $34.6 billion

Courtesy of 3M

88. Mike Roman
> 2020 compensation: $20,700,347
> Company: 3M
> Employees: 94,987
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.2 billion

willistowerswatson.com

87. John J. Haley
> 2020 compensation: $20,732,005
> Company: Willis Towers Watson Plc
> Employees: 46,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.4 billion

Courtesy of Ameriprise Financial

86. James M. Cracchiolo
> 2020 compensation: $20,794,703
> Company: Ameriprise Financial Inc
> Employees: 12,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $11.8 billion

Courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation

85. Kathy J. Warden
> 2020 compensation: $20,807,144
> Company: Northrop Grumman
> Employees: 97,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $36.8 billion

Courtesy of Raytheon Technologies Corporation

84. Gregory Hayes
> 2020 compensation: $20,970,890
> Company: Raytheon Technologies
> Employees: 181,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $56.6 billion

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Courtesy of AT&T

83. John Stankey
> 2020 compensation: $21,020,917
> Company: AT&T
> Employees: 230,760
> Company revenue, 2020: $171.8 billion

Kimberly White / Getty Images

82. Robert Iger
> 2020 compensation: $21,031,389
> Company: Walt Disney
> Employees: 203,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.4 billion

Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

81. Albert Bourla
> 2020 compensation: $21,033,570
> Company: Pfizer
> Employees: 78,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $41.9 billion

Mark Wilson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

80. David Calhoun
> 2020 compensation: $21,074,052
> Company: Boeing
> Employees: 141,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $58.2 billion

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Paul Morigi / Getty Images for Vital Voices

79. Tom Wilson
> 2020 compensation: $21,126,386
> Company: Allstate
> Employees: 42,010
> Company revenue, 2020: $44.8 billion

http://investor.travelers.com/

78. Alan D. Schnitzer
> 2020 compensation: $19,000,000
> Company: Travelers
> Employees: 30,294
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.0 billion

Courtesy of PepsiCo

77. Ramon Laguarta
> 2020 compensation: $21,486,982
> Company: PepsiCo
> Employees: 291,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $70.4 billion

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News via Getty Images

76. Hans Vestberg
> 2020 compensation: $19,097,582
> Company: Verizon Communications
> Employees: 132,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $128.3 billion

Courtesy of DXC Technology Company

75. Mike Salvino
> 2020 compensation: $21,733,120
> Company: DXC Technology
> Employees: 138,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $19.6 billion

74. Jensen Huang
> 2020 compensation: $19,316,401
> Company: Nvidia
> Employees: 18,975
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.7 billion

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Courtesy of Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

73. Liam K. Griffin
> 2020 compensation: $21,800,439
> Company: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
> Employees: 10,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $3.4 billion

Paul Morigi / Getty Images

72. Phebe Novakovic
> 2020 compensation: $19,328,499
> Company: General Dynamics
> Employees: 100,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $37.9 billion

Courtesy of XPO Logistics, Inc.

71. Brad Jacobs
> 2020 compensation: $21,812,660
> Company: XPO Logistics
> Employees: 119,750
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.3 billion

Courtesy of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

70. Daniel S. Glaser
> 2020 compensation: $19,500,000
> Company: Marsh & McLennan
> Employees: 76,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $17.2 billion

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Marc Piasecki / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

69. Sonia Syngal
> 2020 compensation: $21,905,521
> Company: Gap Inc
> Employees: 117,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $13.8 billion

Riccardo Savi / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

68. André Calantzopoulos
> 2020 compensation: $21,936,798
> Company: Philip Morris International
> Employees: 71,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $28.7 billion

Lennar Corporation

67. Rick Beckwitt & Jonathan M. Jaffe
> 2020 compensation: $21,983,118 & $19,352,016
> Company: Lennar
> Employees: 9,495
> Company revenue, 2020: $22.5 billion

adm.com

66. Juan R. Luciano
> 2020 compensation: $21,994,433
> Company: Archer Daniels Midland
> Employees: 38,332
> Company revenue, 2020: $64.4 billion

Courtesy of Transdigm Group, Inc.

65. Kevin M. Stein
> 2020 compensation: $22,060,463
> Company: Transdigm Group Inc
> Employees: 14,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $5.1 billion

Michael Cohen / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

64. Kenneth C. Frazier
> 2020 compensation: $22,088,429
> Company: Merck
> Employees: 73,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $48.0 billion

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Courtesy of Dow

63. Jim Fitterling
> 2020 compensation: $22,211,255
> Company: Dow
> Employees: 35,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $38.5 billion

Courtesy of Southern Company

62. Tom Fanning
> 2020 compensation: $22,366,850
> Company: Southern
> Employees: 27,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.4 billion

whitehouse45 / Flickr

61. Rodney McMullen
> 2020 compensation: $22,373,574
> Company: Kroger
> Employees: 465,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $132.5 billion

Courtesy of Intel

60. Robert Swan
> 2020 compensation: $22,389,500
> Company: Intel
> Employees: 110,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $77.9 billion

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federalreserve / Flickr

59. Roger W. Ferguson Jr.
> 2020 compensation: $22,399,082
> Company: TIAA
> Employees: 14,953
> Company revenue, 2020: $41.6 billion

whitehouse45 / Flickr

58. Doug McMillon
> 2020 compensation: $22,574,358
> Company: Walmart
> Employees: 2,300,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $559.2 billion

investors.aflac.com

57. Daniel P. Amos
> 2020 compensation: $22,613,727
> Company: Aflac Inc
> Employees: 6,239
> Company revenue, 2020: $22.1 billion

Courtesy of Procter & Gamble

56. David Taylor
> 2020 compensation: $22,905,128
> Company: Procter & Gamble
> Employees: 99,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $71.0 billion

Alex Wroblewski / Getty Images

55. Michael Corbat
> 2020 compensation: $22,984,090
> Company: Citigroup
> Employees: 210,153
> Company revenue, 2020: $88.8 billion

cvshealth.com

54. Larry J. Merlo
> 2020 compensation: $23,043,822
> Company: CVS Health
> Employees: 256,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $268.7 billion

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Courtesy of Motorola Mobility LLC

53. Gregory Q. Brown
> 2020 compensation: $23,046,559
> Company: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
> Employees: 6,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $7.4 billion

Pool / Getty Images

52. Marvin Ellison
> 2020 compensation: $23,075,881
> Company: Lowe’s
> Employees: 280,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $89.6 billion

Theo Wargo / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

51. Chuck Robbins
> 2020 compensation: $23,163,710
> Company: Cisco Systems
> Employees: 77,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $49.3 billion

Courtesy of Sempra

50. Jeffrey W. Martin
> 2020 compensation: $23,181,719
> Company: Sempra Energy
> Employees: 4,396
> Company revenue, 2020: $3.8 billion

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Courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation

49. Jim Taiclet
> 2020 compensation: $23,360,369
> Company: Lockheed Martin
> Employees: 114,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.4 billion

48. Dan Schulman
> 2020 compensation: $23,362,072
> Company: PayPal Holdings
> Employees: 26,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.5 billion

Paul Morigi / Getty Images

47. Mary Barra
> 2020 compensation: $23,657,987
> Company: General Motors
> Employees: 155,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $122.5 billion

Courtesy of Eli Lilly

46. Dave Ricks
> 2020 compensation: $23,708,629
> Company: Eli Lilly
> Employees: 35,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $24.5 billion

Courtesy of NextEra Energy, Inc.

45. James L. Robo
> 2020 compensation: $23,720,707
> Company: NextEra Energy
> Employees: 14,900
> Company revenue, 2020: $18.0 billion

Paul Morigi / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

44. David Solomon
> 2020 compensation: $23,940,657
> Company: Goldman Sachs Group
> Employees: 40,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $53.5 billion

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vbprofiles.com

43. Richard A. Gonzalez
> 2020 compensation: $24,007,591
> Company: AbbVie
> Employees: 47,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $45.8 billion

Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

42. Stephen Squeri
> 2020 compensation: $24,221,319
> Company: American Express
> Employees: 63,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $38.2 billion

whitehouse45 / Flickr

41. Matt Maddox
> 2020 compensation: $24,571,980
> Company: Wynn Resorts Ltd
> Employees: 27,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $2.1 billion

40. Michael Neidorff
> 2020 compensation: $24,956,777
> Company: Centene
> Employees: 71,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $111.1 billion

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investor.phillips66.com

39. Greg C. Garland
> 2020 compensation: $24,989,374
> Company: Phillips 66
> Employees: 14,300
> Company revenue, 2020: $65.5 billion

David Ramos / Getty Images

38. Mark Zuckerberg
> 2020 compensation: $25,288,265
> Company: Facebook
> Employees: 58,604
> Company revenue, 2020: $86.0 billion

Courtesy of IQVIA

37. Ari Bousbib
> 2020 compensation: $25,575,986
> Company: Iqvia Holdings Inc.
> Employees: 70,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $11.4 billion

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

36. Marc Benioff
> 2020 compensation: $25,740,775
> Company: Salesforce
> Employees: 56,606
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.3 billion

Courtesy of Copart Inc.

35. Jayson A. Adair
> 2020 compensation: $25,766,923
> Company: Copart Inc
> Employees: 7,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $2.2 billion

Courtesy of Sysco Corporation

34. Kevin Hourican
> 2020 compensation: $25,872,425
> Company: Sysco
> Employees: 57,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $52.9 billion

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Ethan Miller / Getty Images

33. Steve Mollenkopf
> 2020 compensation: $25,930,689
> Company: Qualcomm
> Employees: 41,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $23.5 billion

Alex Wong / Getty Images

32. Brian Moynihan
> 2020 compensation: $25,940,571
> Company: Bank of America
> Employees: 212,505
> Company revenue, 2020: $93.8 billion

Mike Coppola / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

31. Alfred Kelly Jr.
> 2020 compensation: $26,364,928
> Company: Visa
> Employees: 20,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $21.8 billion

World Economic Forum / Flickr

30. Marc Casper
> 2020 compensation: $26,390,073
> Company: Thermo Fisher Scientific
> Employees: 84,362
> Company revenue, 2020: $32.2 billion

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gene_wang / Flickr

29. Lisa T. Su
> 2020 compensation: $27,141,878
> Company: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
> Employees: 12,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $9.8 billion

Mat Szwajkos / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

28. Larry Fink
> 2020 compensation: $27,356,432
> Company: BlackRock
> Employees: 16,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.2 billion

Courtesy of ConocoPhillips

27. Ryan Lance
> 2020 compensation: $28,054,551
> Company: ConocoPhillips
> Employees: 9,700
> Company revenue, 2020: $19.3 billion

26. Ralph Izzo
> 2020 compensation: $28,616,508
> Company: Public Service Enterprise Group Inc
> Employees: 12,788
> Company revenue, 2020: $1.9 billion

Courtesy of Chevron

25. Michael Wirth
> 2020 compensation: $29,016,686
> Company: Chevron
> Employees: 47,736
> Company revenue, 2020: $94.7 billion

Alex Wroblewski / Getty Images News via Getty Images

24. James Gorman
> 2020 compensation: $29,558,524
> Company: Morgan Stanley
> Employees: 68,097
> Company revenue, 2020: $52.0 billion

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jnj.com

23. Alex Gorsky
> 2020 compensation: $29,575,974
> Company: Johnson & Johnson
> Employees: 134,500
> Company revenue, 2020: $82.6 billion

Courtesy of Truist Financial Corporation

22. Kelly S. King
> 2020 compensation: $29,647,812
> Company: Truist Financial Corp
> Employees: 50,236
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.4 billion

Courtesy of Raymond James Financial, Inc.

21. Paul C. Reilly
> 2020 compensation: $29,866,688
> Company: Raymond James Financial Inc
> Employees: 14,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $8.0 billion

Courtesy of American Heart Association

20. Sam Hazen
> 2020 compensation: $30,397,771
> Company: HCA Healthcare
> Employees: 235,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $51.5 billion

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Courtesy of Marathon Petroleum Corporation

19. Michael J. Hennigan
> 2020 compensation: $31,068,530
> Company: Marathon Petroleum Corp
> Employees: 43,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $69.0 billion

Mark Wilson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

18. Jamie Dimon
> 2020 compensation: $31,500,000
> Company: JPMorgan Chase
> Employees: 255,351
> Company revenue, 2020: $129.5 billion

Courtesy of National Diversity Council

17. David V. Auld
> 2020 compensation: $32,536,520
> Company: D.R. Horton
> Employees: 9,716
> Company revenue, 2020: $20.3 billion

Flickr via The Cable Show

16. Brian L. Roberts
> 2020 compensation: $32,713,267
> Company: Comcast
> Employees: 168,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $103.6 billion

Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

15. Hamid R. Moghadam
> 2020 compensation: $34,432,677
> Company: Prologis, Inc.
> Employees: 1,945
> Company revenue, 2020: $4.4 billion

14. David Goeckeler
> 2020 compensation: $35,723,376
> Company: Western Digital
> Employees: 63,800
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.7 billion

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Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

13. Tom Rutledge
> 2020 compensation: $38,846,705
> Company: Charter Communications
> Employees: 96,100
> Company revenue, 2020: $48.1 billion

Monica Schipper / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

12. Robert M. Bakish
> 2020 compensation: $38,973,768
> Company: ViacomCBS
> Employees: 24,225
> Company revenue, 2020: $26.2 billion

Pool / Getty Images News via Getty Images

11. Daniel O’Day
> 2020 compensation: $39,318,251
> Company: Gilead Sciences
> Employees: 13,600
> Company revenue, 2020: $24.7 billion

Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

10. Reed Hastings & Ted Sarandos
> 2020 compensation: $43,226,024 & $39,318,251
> Company: Netflix
> Employees: 9,400
> Company revenue, 2020: $25.0 billion

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Stephen Brashear / Getty Images

9. Satya Nadella
> 2020 compensation: $44,321,788
> Company: Microsoft
> Employees: 163,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $143.0 billion

8. Shantanu Narayen
> 2020 compensation: $45,889,954
> Company: Adobe Inc.
> Employees: 22,516
> Company revenue, 2020: $12.9 billion

Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

7. Jay Farner
> 2020 compensation: $51,727,166
> Company: Rocket Companies
> Employees: 24,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $16.0 billion

Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

6. John Donahoe
> 2020 compensation: $53,499,980
> Company: Nike
> Employees: 75,400
> Company revenue, 2020: $37.4 billion

delphi.com

5. Kevin P. Clark
> 2020 compensation: $62,534,658
> Company: Aptiv Plc
> Employees: 151,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $13.1 billion

Courtesy of General Electric

4. Larry Culp
> 2020 compensation: $73,192,032
> Company: General Electric
> Employees: 184,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $79.6 billion

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TechShowNetwork / Flickr

3. Richard K. Templeton
> 2020 compensation: $74,818,054
> Company: Texas Instruments Inc
> Employees: 30,000
> Company revenue, 2020: $14.5 billion

Courtesy of Paycom

2. Chad R. Richison
> 2020 compensation: $211,131,206
> Company: Paycom Software, Inc.
> Employees: 4,200
> Company revenue, 2020: $0.8 billion

Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

1. Elon Musk
> 2020 compensation: $11,000,000,000
> Company: Tesla
> Employees: 70,757
> Company revenue, 2020: $31.5 billion

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