S&P 500 CEO Pay Trends: Incentive Pay and Mega Pay Packages (2022–2024)
The executive compensation landscape continues to evolve, with shifting priorities in incentive structures and rising mega pay packages. MyLogIQ’s latest CompanyIQ report delivers detailed insights into S&P 500 CEO pay trends between 2022 and 2024, revealing how leading companies are rewarding top executives and structuring performance metrics.
CEO Pay at a Glance
- Median total CEO compensation (2024): $16.8 million
- Median cash incentive pay (LTI + STI): $2.5 million
- LTI (Long-Term Incentive) Pay: Only 2% of S&P 500 companies issued LTI cash awards across all three years
- STI (Short-Term Incentive) Pay: 85% of companies paid STI in 2022–2023
- Warner Bros. Discovery led all three years with the highest STI awards, topping out at $23.9 million in 2024.
How Companies Use Performance Metrics
- Companies are increasingly applying multiple performance metrics to determine CEO pay, blending financial targets with strategic goals.
- 96% of companies used STI metrics in 2022 and 2023, while 75% applied more than one.
Mega CEO Pay Packages (2020–2024)
- Between 2020 and 2024, 64 S&P 500 CEOs earned more than $50 million, with over a third exceeding $100 million in total pay. The largest 2024 CEO pay package reached a staggering $165 million.
- 2021 saw the highest volume of $100M+ packages
- Stock awards remain the dominant compensation vehicle, with incentive pay making up just 2% in these high-end packages
Powered by CompanyIQ: A Data-Driven Edge
This report was generated using MyLogIQ’s CompanyIQ platform, which provides real-time executive compensation analytics sourced from SEC filings. CompanyIQ helps organizations:
- Benchmark CEO and director pay
- Analyze multi-year compensation trends
- Understand how performance metrics are structured
- Stay compliant with evolving disclosure requirements
As CEO compensation continues to draw scrutiny and evolve with performance expectations, data transparency and analytical tools are critical. The findings in this report not only shed light on pay practices but also equip boards and compensation professionals with the insights they need to stay competitive and compliant.