A stark new analysis reveals that chief executive pay surged dramatically in 2025, outpacing worker wage growth by a significant margin. The report highlights a widening chasm between executive compensation and the earnings of the average employee, raising concerns about economic inequality.
Key Takeaways
- Global CEO compensation increased by 54% between 2019 and 2025, while worker pay, adjusted for inflation, declined by 12% during the same period.
- In 2025, the average CEO received $8.4 million in total compensation, a notable increase from $7.6 million in 2024.
- Billionaires earned an average of $2,500 per second in dividends in 2025, with their wealth reaching record highs.
- The United States saw CEO pay increase 20.4 times faster than worker pay in 2025.
The Widening Pay Gap
A joint analysis by Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation has exposed a significant disparity in pay growth between top executives and the general workforce. The report indicates that CEO pay increased at a rate 20 times faster than that of workers globally in 2025. When adjusted for inflation, the real wages for workers worldwide actually decreased by 12% between 2019 and 2025, equivalent to losing 108 days of work annually. In stark contrast, CEO compensation saw a substantial rise of 54% over the same six-year period.
Executive Compensation vs. Worker Earnings
In 2025, the average CEO’s total compensation reached $8.4 million, up from $7.6 million in the previous year. This executive enrichment stands in sharp relief against the backdrop of stagnant or declining real wages for many workers. The analysis, which examined the top 1,500 corporations across 33 countries, also pointed to a persistent gender pay gap, with women in these companies effectively working without pay after November 4th each year.
Billionaire Wealth and Dividend Earnings
The report further sheds light on the immense wealth accumulated by billionaires. In 2025, billionaires were reportedly paid $2,500 every second in dividends, based on the investment portfolios of over 1,000 individuals. Over the past year leading up to 2026, the wealth of billionaires has hit unprecedented levels, with the wealthiest individuals seeing a 13.2% increase in their fortunes, amounting to an additional $4 trillion.
Calls for Action
Leaders from Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation have voiced strong criticism of the current economic system. Luc Triangle, general secretary of the ITUC, stated that companies promote a "virtuous cycle" but instead foster a "vicious cycle" where mega-corporations undermine collective bargaining and CEOs capture productivity gains. Amitabh Behar, executive director of Oxfam International, urged governments to implement measures such as capping CEO pay, taxing the super-rich fairly, and ensuring minimum wages keep pace with inflation to create economies that reward work and benefit everyone.
