Executive pay in public for-profit organizations can vary drastically depending on a variety of factors, including the organizational size and scope, as well as the industries in which they operate. However, unlike many other jobs, geography plays little role in compensation for top executives. Regardless, CEOs are typically (though not always) the highest-paid executives at many organizations.
For the purposes of this examination, base salary serves as the metric since it is predetermined and the most fixed among the various forms of executive compensation. Other pay, defined as excess benefits and perquisites greater than $10,000, is the second most common form of CEO compensation and is also included in the table below. Bonus, nonequity, stock, options, and pension are not included. Learn more about top CEO total executive compensation in different industries, including the top 10 highest-paid CEOs in banking and finances or the top 10 highest-paid CEOs in real estate.
The following is a summary of top CEO pay in transportation industries. Industries are defined using the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system as indicated by the organization. This summary covers organizations that filed under the following SIC codes: 40xx, 41xx, 42xx, 44xx, 45xx, 47xx. For every CEO, compensation is restricted to the organization’s primary SIC code to prevent duplicate entries.
Base Salaries for the Top 10 CEOs in Transportation
| Company | Name | Title | Salary | Other Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd | Keith Creel | Director, President and CEO | $2,113,448 | $20,083,930 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd | Frank Del Rio | Director, President and CEO | $1,527,541 | $34,853,714 |
| FedEx Corp | Frederick Smith | CEO; Chairman of the Board of the Company and FedEx Express | $1,373,561 | $16,432,036 |
| United Parcel Service Inc | David Abney | Director | $1,310,199 | $4,531,931 |
| CSX Corp | James Foote | Director, President and CEO | $1,250,000 | $14,056,715 |
| United Airlines Holdings Inc | Oscar Munoz | Executive Chairman of the Board | $1,239,594 | $10,859,099 |
| Norfolk Southern Corp | James Squires | Executive Chairman of the Board, CEO and President | $1,100,000 | $13,025,279 |
| Union Pacific Corp | Lance Fritz | Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Company and Union Pacific Railroad Company | $1,095,833 | $15,536,266 |
| GATX Corp | Brian Kenney | Chairman of the Board, President and CEO | $1,000,917 | $6,285,848 |
| XPO Logistics Inc | Bradley Jacobs | Chairman of the Board and CEO | $1,000,000 | $20,812,660 |
Fiscal Year 2020; SIC: 40xx, 41xx, 42xx, 44xx, 45xx, 47xx
When taken on the whole, total compensation packages for the top executive employees vary considerably across organizations. This is due to a variety of complex factors that include market values, vesting time tables, and other variable-related compensation that are often difficult to compare. However, as can be seen, base salaries, though considerably large, tend to be more consistent.
