Apple CEO Tim Cook Earns $74M in 2025, Pay Stays Rock-Steady
Apple CEO Tim Cook earned a total compensation of $74.3 million in 2025, essentially holding steady compared with his 2024 pay. The tech giant revealed the figure in its annual proxy statement, showing that while there was a minor dip of around $300,000, it’s almost negligible when viewed as a percentage of his total earnings.
How Tim Cook’s Pay is Structured
Cook’s 2025 pay package closely mirrored the previous year’s structure:
- Base Salary: $3 million
- Stock Awards: $57.5 million
- Bonuses and Other Compensation: Remaining amount to total $74.3 million
The stock awards continue to form the bulk of his compensation, reflecting Apple’s long-standing practice of tying executive pay to the company’s performance.
What About Other Apple Executives?
Other senior Apple executives also earned hefty sums in 2025. Most top-level leaders made around $27 million each, though the recently appointed CFO Kevan Parekh earned slightly less at $22.5 million.
This shows Apple continues to reward leadership not just through salaries, but through performance-based stock incentives that align executives’ interests with the company’s long-term success.
Apple’s Pay Philosophy
Apple has consistently emphasized stock-based incentives as a key component of executive compensation. By linking large portions of pay to company performance, the firm ensures that executives remain focused on growth, profitability, and shareholder returns.
Tim Cook’s compensation demonstrates this approach: while his base salary is modest compared with the overall pay, the stock awards make up the vast majority, rewarding him for Apple’s ongoing market success.
Why This Matters
Apple remains one of the most valuable companies in the world, and executive compensation is closely watched by investors, analysts, and the public alike. Cook’s pay staying steady despite minor fluctuations highlights:
- Consistency in leadership rewards
- Confidence in Apple’s long-term strategy
- The continued importance of performance-based incentives
For investors, it signals stability at the top, which is particularly important in a fast-changing tech landscape.
Takeaway
Tim Cook continues to be one of the highest-paid executives in the tech world, earning $74.3 million in 2025. While the total pay is nearly identical to 2024, the real story is how Apple uses stock awards and bonuses to reward performance. Other executives, including the new CFO Kevan Parekh, also benefit from this system, reinforcing Apple’s strategy of tying leadership success to company growth.
With Apple maintaining strong financial performance and innovation, it’s likely that executive compensation will continue to reflect both company achievements and investor confidence in the years ahead.