Silicon Valley’s highest-paid executives have been identified, with the top spot going to a relatively little-known young entrepreneur whose earnings far outpaced the rest of the group.
The San Francisco Chronicle ranked the Bay Area’s highest-compensated executives through late September 2026, drawing on data from several databases.
Leading the list is Dylan Field, the 34-year-old co-founder and CEO of software company Figma. His reported compensation reached an extraordinary $864 million.
Field launched Figma in 2012 after leaving Brown University. He had received a Thiel Fellowship, a program that provides funding to young entrepreneurs.
Sanjay Beri, co-founder, CEO and chairman of cybersecurity firm Netskope, ranked second among the Bay Area’s top-paid executives, with $235 million in earnings.
Hock Eng Tan, 74, president, CEO and director of Broadcom Inc., earned $205 million. Broadcom is one of the world’s largest semiconductor and infrastructure software companies.
Tan has served on the President’s National Security and Telecommunications Advisory Committee since 2020. He is also a member of Meta’s board of directors.
Figma’s chief technology officer, Kris Rasmussen, 42, placed fourth on the list after earning $175 million.
Dylan Field, the 34-year-old co-founder and CEO of software company Figma, ranked as Silicon Valley’s highest-paid executive after earning $864 million
A relatively unknown young entrepreneur has emerged as Silicon Valley’s highest-paid executive
Nikesh Arora, 58, CEO of cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks Inc., ranked fifth, with compensation totaling $100 million.
Christopher R. Britt, 53, co-founder, CEO and chairperson of Chime Financial Inc., took sixth place after earning $99 million.
Charles W. Scharf, the 61-year-old CEO and chairman of Wells Fargo & Co., earned $95 million, placing him seventh among the highest-paid executives.
FIND OUT MORE: Resident Evil (2026) Ending Explained: What the Final Scene Means
Lip-Bu Tan, 66, CEO and director of Intel Corp., earned $93 million, according to the data.
Intel recorded its strongest day on the US stock market since 1987 this year, following a better-than-expected profit report in April.
Tan said the next phase of artificial-intelligence technology is driving greater demand for Intel’s chips and products. The company’s spring profit forecast also exceeded analysts’ expectations.
Apple Inc. executive chairman Tim Cook, 65, ranked ninth among the highest earners, taking home $75 million.
Cook led Apple as CEO from 2011 until September 1, when he passed the role to John Ternus.
Nikesh Arora, 58, CEO of cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks Inc., ranked fifth after earning $100 million
Wells Fargo & Co. CEO and chairman Charles W. Scharf, 61, earned $95 million
Lip-Bu Tan, 67, CEO and director at Intel Corp earned $93 million, according to the data
The ninth-highest-earning executive is Apple Inc. executive chairman Tim Cook, 65, who earned $75 million
When Cook became CEO in August 2011, Apple was worth around $350 billion – today, it’s valued at close to $5 trillion.
The company sold around 72 million iPhones in the year Cook took over. Counterpoint Research estimates it will sell around 255 million iPhones this year.
Cook also oversaw the creation of huge new businesses around the Apple Watch, AirPods and digital services, while transforming Apple’s manufacturing operation and returning more than $1 trillion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
The tenth-highest-earning Silicon Valley executive is Hims & Hers Health chief technology officer Mohamed Elshenawy, who earned $61 million.
