Indian IT CEOs Earn Up to 1,700 Times Median Employee Pay

CEO-to-median employee pay ratios vary significantly across regions and sectors, with Indian IT companies showing the widest disparities. In India's IT sector, CEO pay ratios have soared to over 700 times median employee pay, far exceeding global norms due to globally benchmarked CEO compensation and structurally low employee wages. In the UK, FTSE 350 CEOs earn a median of 52 times more than the average full-time worker, with ratios slightly higher in the FTSE 100, but these gaps have remained relatively stable with some recent narrowing. The UK has seen an increase in pay for lower-earning workers, though this may partly reflect workforce changes such as outsourcing or job cuts. In the U.S., S&P 500 CEOs earn about 200 times more than median employees, with some companies exhibiting ratios exceeding 1,000 times, especially where employee wages are low and operations are global. Experts highlight that without regulatory limits or standardized equity practices, these disparities are likely to persist, fueling debates on pay fairness and the importance of transparency in employer branding.