SpaceX’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Gwynne Shotwell, received a total compensation of $85.8 million last year, as disclosed in the company’s S1 filing. Shotwell’s salary was $1 million, with the majority of her earnings stemming from stock options and awards. The filing is a customary document that companies use to reveal their financial status and potential risks before going public.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX recently filed confidentially for a US IPO, setting the stage for what could be a groundbreaking listing estimated at approximately $1.75 trillion. Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnson’s total compensation amounted to $9.8 million, while Musk, the primary shareholder in SpaceX, paid himself a salary of $54,080. Notably, Shotwell’s compensation surpasses that of many other prominent tech executives.
In comparison, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earned $79 million in 2024, and Apple’s Tim Cook took home $75 million, based on data compiled by Equilar. Shotwell’s net worth is reported to be $3.4 billion according to Forbes.
While Musk garners significant public attention for SpaceX, the 62-year-old Shotwell plays a pivotal role in the company’s day-to-day operations. Since joining SpaceX in 2002 as the seventh employee, Shotwell has been instrumental in driving demand for the company’s Falcon 9 rocket and Starlink satellite broadband constellation, which now form the core revenue sources.
With a background in mechanical engineering and experience at Chrysler Motors, Shotwell has effectively translated Musk’s visionary goals into tangible achievements in rocket manufacturing, satellite deployment, and securing diverse customer contracts.