Since the late 20th century CEO pay has exploded, widening the divide between the ultra wealthy and working class Americans. Now, Tesla CEO Elon Musk could set a new standard in CEO pay packages, becoming the first trillionaire CEO after his record breaking pay package was approved in November 2025. Tesla is not alone in this, U.S. mega-cap CEOs like Apple's Tim Cook, Google's Sundar Pichai, and Amazon's Andy Jassy are also seeing their net worth skyrocket, as massive pay packages become the standard across S&P 500 companies. So what is behind these huge pay outs, how do these companies afford them, and is there a payoff or is it just luck?
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:13 What's in a pay package?
4:20 Is there a payoff
8:17 Worker Pay
10:43 The future of compensation
Produced by: Devan Burris
Reporter: Robert Frank
Edited by: Darren Geeter
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Camera and Senior Managing Producer: Shawn Baldwin
Additional Footage: Getty, Tesla
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