Sundar Pichai Salary: Amid employee pay restructuring, check how much Google CEO was paid in 2024

Sundar Pichai Salary: In a year when Google is overhauling employee compensation to focus more on performance—and quietly pushing lower performers toward smaller bonuses or none at all—CEO Sundar Pichai walked away with a jaw-dropping Rs 90 crore ($10.73 million) in 2024.

While that figure is lower than his staggering Rs 1,900 crore ($226 million) payout in 2022, it’s still far above what the average Google employee earns. As the company asks its workforce to adapt to a stricter, performance-driven model, its CEO continues to enjoy perks and protection most workers can only dream of.

According to the reports of Poeple Matters, Alphabet’s 2025 Proxy Statement revealed that over Rs 69 crore ($8.27 million) of Pichai’s 2024 compensation was spent solely on personal security—a 22% increase from the previous year. That includes 24/7 bodyguards, car-and-driver services, residential surveillance, and security during travel.

“In 2024, Sundar’s security arrangements included residential security and consultation fees, security monitoring services, car and driver services, and personal security during all travel,” the company wrote.

While it’s common for tech giants to invest in CEO protection, the scale of spending—especially during a time of internal cost-cutting—has triggered criticism over corporate priorities.

Employee pay model restructured—But not for the top brass?

Ironically, while Google spends millions protecting its CEO, ordinary Googlers are facing a complete shake-up of how they’re paid. The company has introduced a performance-tied pay system under its internal GRAD (Google Reviews and Development) model. It categorizes employees into five tiers, from “Not Enough Impact” to “Transformative Impact.” Starting in 2026, employee bonuses and stock options will depend heavily on where they fall in this ranking.

Reportedly, John Casey, VP of Global Compensation and Benefits, stated that the new model is designed to “reward high performance,” but critics argue it’s a thinly-veiled way to slash pay for those who don't hit arbitrary internal benchmarks.

Pichai's 2024 package included a base salary of Rs 16 crore ($2 million), unchanged from the previous year. The rest came from stock awards, bonuses, and “other compensation”—including the now-notorious security bill.

While his 2024 pay was a far cry from the excessive 2022 payout, it's still 32 times more than the average Google employee, who earned around Rs 2.7 crore ($331,894) last year.

This vast compensation gap is a lightning rod for criticism—especially when viewed alongside massive layoffs in recent years and mounting pressure on rank-and-file workers to constantly outperform.

Backlash continues

Pichai’s compensation sparked public backlash in 2022, when his Rs 1,900 crore package came just before Google laid off thousands of employees. That anger hasn’t subsided. Many argue that executive pay at Google continues to send the wrong message—rewarding those at the top while squeezing those on the ground.

Other tech CEOs, like Tim Cook at Apple ($74.6 million) and Netflix’s co-CEOs (over $60 million each), may earn even more—but critics say that doesn’t justify Google's own excesses, especially amid internal restructuring.

A look at Sundar Pichai’s rise

Born in Chennai and educated at IIT Kharagpur, Stanford, and Wharton, Sundar Pichai’s rise through the tech ranks is undeniably impressive. Since joining Google in 2004, he’s led the development of key products like Chrome and now oversees both Google and its parent, Alphabet.

According to the reports of Poeple Matters, today, Pichai’s net worth is estimated at Rs 9,000 crore ($1.1 billion).

As Google preaches performance and tightens belts across departments, its own leadership remains immune from austerity. Pichai’s multi-million-dollar pay package stands in stark contrast to the uncertainty, stress, and competition now built into employee compensation.

The company’s new strategy may boost short-term productivity, but at what cost? The growing divide between executive luxury and worker pressure is becoming impossible to ignore—and public trust in Big Tech continues to erode.