Starbucks reports the widest CEO-to-worker pay ratio among S&P 500 firms, with Brian Niccol earning $96 million annually.
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s compensation ratio to the median employee reached 6,666 to 1 in 2024, the highest among S&P 500 companies. Niccol’s total pay was $96 million, while the median worker earned $14,674, below the U.S. federal poverty line for an individual.
The calculation includes Starbucks’ global workforce of 361,000 employees, with many holding part-time roles. The company noted its median worker is typically a U.S. part-time barista. Among food service peers, Starbucks’ ratio exceeds competitors by a factor of four or more.
Publicly traded firms must disclose CEO-to-worker pay ratios under SEC rules adopted in 2015, creating transparency on corporate pay disparities.