24 retail CEOs made as much in a day as their typical employee earned in a year — and a big one didn't

Retail CEOs have a big, complex job — one they are paid handsomely for.
Publicly traded companies disclose executive compensation details in annual proxy statements.
Here's what the CEOs of 25 top retail chains made each day last year and how it compares to worker pay.

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 calculatedhow 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

AutoZone logo is seen on the store in Texas.

Jakub Porzycki/Reuters

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

NAPA Auto Parts store entrance showing corporate logo above door.

Don and Melinda Crawford/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

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

A Kroger grocery store is seen in the Heights district on October 08, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

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

Lauren Hobart, CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods

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

Kecia Steelman attends Breast Cancer Research Foundation Awards Luncheon at New York Hilton Midtown on October 30, 2025 in New York City.

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

Corie Barry Best Buy CEO headshot

Best Buy CEO Corie Barry shared her future diversity plans with Insider.

Best Buy

CEO annual compensation: $17,346,126

Median worker annual compensation: $32,018

James Conroy of Ross Stores: $47,690 per day

A Ross Stores is seen on October 10, 2025 in San Diego, California

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