Amazon's Bezos Leads Nation's Low-Wage Companies in Executive Pay

Amazon's Jeff Bezos is the highest-paid executive among the nation's low-wage companies, according to a new report from the Institute for Policy Studies. The IPS report found that Amazon's median worker wage was $40,206 in 2025, while its CEO took home $1.9 million in compensation.

The report also noted that Bezos' net worth soared to $254 billion last year, virtually all of it in Amazon stock. This is a stark contrast to the low wages paid to Amazon's workers, who have been pushing for higher pay and better working conditions.

Amazon led the league in lobbyists on its payroll, with 127 lobbyists in 2025, and spent $19.07 million on lobbying lawmakers last year. The company may break its all-time high for lobbying spending this year, having already spent $9.6 million in the first three months of 2026.

The IPS report also highlighted Walmart's executive compensation packages, with CEO Doug McMillon earning $29.2 million in 2025, 958 times more than the median pay of $30,520 for Walmart workers. The company spent $8.1 billion on share repurchases last year, which could have funded a $3,851 bonus for each of its 2.1 million employees.