CEO Pay Soars to Record Heights | Spokane News

Spokane News Today | 2 Min | The Daily News Now! · Aug 13, 2026 · 1m

CEOs in the S&P 500 are raking in record-breaking pay—up 21% last year to $22.8 million on average, thanks largely to Musk-style mega-deals that could hit a trillion dollars if targets are met. Including Tesla’s deal, the average CEO now earns $340 million, while the CEO-to-worker pay gap has soared to 312:1—or over 5,000:1 with Musk’s package. Workers are furious, unions are hearing the outcry, and while some payouts like Goldman Sachs’ $118M or Welltower’s $820M drew shareholder skepticism, most executive pay plans still fly through investor votes—proving corporate leadership is rewarded…