CEO Pay Hits $22.8M; Worker Wages at $69,770 — HR's Equity Gap Widens
AFL-CIO data shows S&P 500 CEOs earned $22.8M on average in 2025 excluding Elon Musk, up 21%, while average worker pay rose just 3% to $69,770. For HR and compensation leaders, the 312:1 pay ratio signals rising internal equity risk, retention challenges, and the need to reset peer benchmarking.