GM CEO Mary Barra Earned $48.2 Million in 2025, Ranking Third Among Auto CEOs

General Motors CEO Mary Barra received $48.2 million in realized compensation in 2025, making her the third-highest-paid CEO among U.S.-based companies in and around the automotive industry, according to the latest Automotive News/Equilar CEO Compensation Survey.

Barra’s realized compensation increased 61.7% from the $29.8 million reported for 2024, with stock options and equity awards accounting for much of the increase.

Barra’s realized compensation climbed sharply

The survey measures the value executives actually receive when exercising stock options or collecting equity awards rather than using the compensation figures companies report to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

That distinction explains why Barra’s $48.2 million total differs from the compensation figure in GM’s regulatory filings. Equilar Director of Research Courtney Yu said the survey is based on “the actual value that the executives are getting.”

Barra’s gains from stock options and awards doubled from 2024 as GM’s stock price reached new highs during the year. Her 2025 compensation was also her strongest showing in the survey since 2022, when she likewise ranked third, according to GM Authority.

The survey’s methodology is intended to measure compensation realized during the year rather than the potential future value of long-term awards.

Barra narrowly trails second-place CEO

Barra’s $48.2 million in realized compensation put her just behind Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi, who received $48.8 million and ranked second. Advaithi’s compensation increased 43.5% from 2024.

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang topped the survey with $152.9 million in realized compensation. His total was substantially higher than the rest of the group, although it declined from $197.6 million in 2024.

The results put two women among the survey’s three highest-paid CEOs. The broader survey tracks CEO compensation alongside shareholder returns, net income and median employee pay, providing comparisons between executive rewards and company performance.

For Barra, the increase in realized compensation reflected both GM’s stock performance and the structure of her long-term compensation.

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