Highest Paid CEOs 2010

CEO pay of the biggest US companies saw a sharp rebound in 2010, according to compensation consulting firm Equilar, in a study commission by New York Times.

The median compensation was $9.6 million, up 12 percent from 2009.  This 2010 increase marks a turning point as pay fell in the two previous years.

Defenders of this increase say corporate profits are growing at a blistering pace. Moreover, the CEO pay increase was coming off of a two year decline.

However, critics counter that the increase in CEO compensation far outstrips the rise in worker wages, which rose just 2.1 percent in 2010, while millions of Americans remain unemployed.  In addition, some of the highly-paid CEOs preside over companies that received substantial government help during the financial crisis.

The highest paid CEO in 2010 received $84.6 million.  The highest paid CEO of a bank, Robert P. Kelly of BNY Mellon, received $19.4 million.

The list of top 10 highest paid CEOs is dominated by technology companies.

Click “Start” to view the top 10 list.

Emerson Electric Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David N. Farr

CEO of IBM Samuel Palmisano

Ford CEO Alan Mulally

President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company Robert A. Iger

Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast

John F. Lundgren, President & Chief Executive Officer of Stanley Black & Decker

Michael D. White, president and chief executive officer of DIRECTV

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison

Dr. Ray Irani, Chairman, CEO and President of Occidental Petroleum Corporation (center)

Philippe P. Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, Inc.