Leading a major retail company is no small job.
CEOs are responsible for balancing the demands of thousands of workers, customers, and suppliers.
Still, the high stakes are handsomely rewarded, often with eight-figure compensation packages comprising a base salary, company stock, and perks such as corporate jet use and personal security services. (Costco’s CEO also gets an Executive Membership to the warehouse club.)
To view that total compensation through another lens, Business Insider reviewed the annual executive pay in recently filed proxy statements from large retailers for 2025 and calculated how much each CEO earned each day of the past year.
By comparison, the median annual pay for retail salespersons in the US was $34,750 in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In most cases, these leaders made as much or more in a single day as their average employees earned in an entire year. Some CEOs earned their median worker’s pay in a matter of hours. (One notable exception was Costco, due to the company having the highest median worker pay.)
Here’s what the CEOs of 25 large retail and restaurant companies made per day last year, in ascending order.
Todd Vasos of Dollar General: $22,365 per day
CEO annual compensation: $8,163,197
Median worker annual compensation: $18,876
Shane O’Kelly of AutoZone: $24,992 per day
CEO annual compensation: $9,121,929
Median worker annual compensation: $25,492
Gerald Morgan of Texas Roadhouse: $29,650 per day
CEO annual compensation: $10,822,133
Median worker annual compensation: $20,524
Jack Sinclair of Sprouts Farmers Market: $31,554 per day
CEO annual compensation: $11,517,223
Median worker annual compensation: $32,554
William Stengel of Genuine Parts Company: $35,242 per day
CEO annual compensation: $12,863,479
Median worker annual compensation: $38,901
Ron Vachris of Costco: $38,171 per day
CEO annual compensation: $13,932,597
Median worker annual compensation: $49,186
Ronald Sargent of Kroger: $39,452 per day
CEO annual compensation: $14,400,108
Median worker annual compensation: $34,552
Michael Creedon of Dollar Tree: $40,480 per day
CEO annual compensation: $14,775,215
Median worker annual compensation: $16,214
Lauren Hobart of Dick’s Sporting Goods: $41,380 per day
CEO annual compensation: $15,103,545
Median worker annual compensation: $11,259
Joshua Kobza of Restaurant Brands Inc.: $41,534 per day
CEO annual compensation: $15,159,780
Median worker annual compensation: $11,075
Kecia Steelman of Ulta Beauty: $42,202 per day
CEO annual compensation: $15,403,663
Median worker annual compensation: $11,883
Scott Boatwright of Chipotle: $42,356 per day
CEO annual compensation: $15,460,000
Median worker annual compensation: $17,446
Ted Decker of Home Depot: $44,359 per day
CEO annual compensation: $16,191,127
Median worker annual compensation: $37,881
Bob Eddy of BJ’s Wholesale Club: $45,693 per day
CEO annual compensation: $16,678,036
Median worker annual compensation: $26,797
Corie Barry of Best Buy: $47,524 per day
CEO annual compensation: $17,346,126
Median worker annual compensation: $32,018
James Conroy of Ross Stores: $47,690 per day
CEO annual compensation: $17,406,705
Median worker annual compensation: $10,059
Chris Turner and David Gibbs of Yum Brands: $49,054* per day
CEO annual compensation: $17,904,655*
Median worker annual compensation: $15,346
*Chris Turner took over as CEO from David Gibbs in October 2025, and the company presented the combined amount that each individual received for the portion of the year served in the role.
Chris Kempczinski of McDonald’s: $56,369 per day
CEO annual compensation: $20,574,525
Median worker annual compensation: $19,020
Marvin Ellison of Lowe’s: $59,128 per day
CEO annual compensation: $21,581,889
Median worker annual compensation: $37,371
Brian Cornell of Target: $59,808
CEO annual compensation: $21,830,088
Median worker annual compensation: $27,506
Ernie Herrman of TJX Companies: $72,886 per day
CEO annual compensation: $26,603,537
Median worker annual compensation: $14,994
Doug McMillon of Walmart: $80,112 per day
CEO annual compensation: $29,240,930
Median worker annual compensation: $30,520
Brian Niccol of Starbucks: $84,912 per day
CEO annual compensation: $30,992,773
Median worker annual compensation: $17,279
Hal Lawton of Tractor Supply Co: $88,431 per day
CEO annual compensation: $32,277,194
Median worker annual compensation: $24,376
Laura Alber of Williams-Sonoma: $91,226
CEO annual compensation: $33,297,422
Median worker annual compensation: $24,943
Read the original article on Business Insider
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