Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has disclosed that his annual salary as the company’s chief executive was far lower than many might expect—just over $80,000.
Bezos, who launched Amazon from his garage in 1994 and led the company for nearly three decades, shared the figure in an interview with The New York Times in December 2024.
Despite being one of the world’s richest individuals, he said he deliberately kept his pay modest because he already owned a significant stake in the company.
“My view was, I was a founder,” Bezos explained. “I already owned a significant amount of the company and I just didn’t feel good about taking more.”
Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021, handing the role to Andy Jassy, and became Amazon’s executive chairman. He said the move allowed him to focus on other ventures, including his space company Blue Origin, the Bezos Earth Fund, and The Washington Post.
While Bezos earned a relatively small salary, his wealth came from Amazon shares. According to Inc.com, he made nearly $8 million per hour between 2023 and 2024 due to stock holdings.
The revelation comes years after a warehouse worker emailed Bezos about pay issues in 2020. The message prompted a company-wide investigation that uncovered similar problems affecting other employees.
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