Here's How Much Costco's New CEO Made This Year Ron Vachris is the third CEO in the company's 41-year history.

By Dominick Reuter

Key Takeaways

  • Costco's new CEO received a total compensation package worth $12.2 million this year.
  • Ron Vachris started his career as a forklift driver over 40 years ago, and became CEO in January.
  • Costco has 328,000 worldwide employees, and the median worker earned $47,092.
Costco via Business Insider
Costco's new CEO Ron Vachris

This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

Costco's CEO appears to have had his best financial year yet.

Since becoming CEO of the wholesale club in January, Ron Vachris received a compensation package worth more than $12.2 million in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the company's latest proxy statement filed Wednesday with the SEC.

The package includes a base salary of nearly $1.1 million, plus stock awards of just over $10.5 million and other perks and compensation (such as a complimentary $120 Executive Membership to Costco).

Meanwhile, of Costco's 328,000 worldwide employees, the median worker earned $47,092, giving Vachris a CEO pay ratio of 262.

His compensation and pay ratio are well below those of his predecessor, Craig Jelinek, who made $16.8 million in his final year as CEO, or 336 times that of the median worker.

Median compensation packages for S&P 500 CEOs rose to $15.5 million in 2023, up 12.4% from the prior year, according to data and analytics firm ISS-Corporate. Among those firms, the CEO pay ratio was 312 times the median employee in 2023.

Among retailers, the ratio tends to be larger, as the industry's workforce includes a relatively larger share of part-time and seasonal workers who are required by SEC rules to be included in the calculation.

For example, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon received $26.9 million in total compensation in the last fiscal year, or 976 times the $27,642 compensation that the median Walmart employee earned in the period. Target CEO Brian Cornell's most recent pay disclosure showed he received $19.2 million in 2023, or 719 times the median employee's $26,696 annual earnings.

Vachris started his career as a forklift driver over 40 years ago with Costco's predecessor Price Club, rising through the ranks to become CEO earlier this year.

He is the third CEO in the company's history.

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