Elon Musk’s Tesla compensation reaches 2.5 million to one pay ratio

Data from 2025 reveals a massive compensation gap at Tesla, where CEO Elon Musk’s pay ratio compared to the median worker reached approximately 2.5 million to one. According to reports from the AFL-CIO, Musk’s compensation was valued at roughly US$158.36 billion, primarily driven by performance-based stock awards rather than a fixed cash salary.

This disparity significantly exceeds that of other major American automakers. For comparison, the CEO-to-worker pay ratio at Ford was approximately 295:1, and at General Motors, it was 333:1.

The AFL-CIO report also noted broader trends within the S&P 500, where the average CEO-to-employee pay ratio rose to 321:1 in the last year, up from 285:1 in 2024. When including Musk’s compensation, the average S&P 500 CEO pay ratio shifts to 5,387:1. The report highlights that while executive pay has risen, average worker wages in the US have reached levels not seen since World War II.