Tim Cook pay rank and net worth: How Apple CEO compares with Elon Musk

Tim Cook has spent more than 15 years leading Apple, building one of the technology industry's most valuable companies while maintaining a compensation package heavily influenced by stock awards. His financial standing, however, looks very different from that of some of the world's highest-paid executives and wealthiest business leaders. 

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A comparison of executive pay and personal wealth places Cook well below Elon Musk, whose fortunes are closely tied to his ownership interests. The figures also highlight the vast difference between the compensation received by two of the most prominent names in the technology industry.

Where does Tim Cook rank among highest-paid CEOs?

According to the ranking data provided by Bloomberg, Tim Cook is placed 46th in the executive pay ranking. Elon Musk holds the No. 1 position, followed by Dr Alexander C Karp at No. 2 and Vasily Shikin at No. 3.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is ranked 48th, putting Cook two places ahead of another prominent technology chief executive.

Must Read: Tim Cook’s compensation: How much Apple’s CEO made from salary and stocks

Cook's reported Apple compensation for 2025 was $74,294,811, based on the Bloomberg figures provided earlier. His package included $3 million in salary, $57,535,293 in stock awards, $12 million in non-equity incentives and $1,759,518 in other compensation.

Tim Cook’s net worth compared with Elon Musk

The difference becomes even more pronounced when personal wealth is considered. According to the figures provided, Tim Cook's net worth is $83.8 million, while Elon Musk's net worth stands at $20.5 billion.

This represents a significant gap between the two executives. Cook's wealth is linked largely to his long career at Apple and the compensation he has received from the company, including stock awards.

Musk, meanwhile, has accumulated his wealth through ownership interests in his companies, making his personal fortune far larger than Cook's.

Elon Musk’s pay is in another league

The gap is also visible in executive compensation. Musk's reported pay is listed at $25.1 billion, compared with Cook's $74.3 million in total Apple compensation for 2025.

Comparing the two technology leaders, the figures underline the difference between executive compensation and personal wealth. Cook ranks among highly paid corporate executives, but Musk's reported pay and net worth place him on a dramatically different financial scale.