A mid-level employee at Google earned a median annual compensation of $331,894 in 2024, according to a newly submitted filing by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This represents a 5% rise from the previous year’s median salary of $315,531 in 2023.
This level of compensation reflects a broader trend among top technology companies, where employee pay continues to remain high. For instance, at Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, the median employee salary in 2023 reached $379,000. These figures highlight the ongoing competition in Silicon Valley to attract and retain highly skilled workers.
The filing also revealed that Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai received a total compensation package worth $10,725,043 in 2024, placing his earnings at roughly 32 times that of the median Google employee. This marks a significant jump from the $8,802,824 he earned in 2023, giving him an almost $2 million raise within a year.
While Pichai’s base salary was reported at $2,015,385, and he received $405,630 in stock awards, most of his compensation fell under the “All Other Compensation” category, which accounted for the bulk of his earnings. Specifically, this category totaled $8,304,028 in 2024, with a substantial portion of that figure attributed to Pichai’s personal security.
In 2024, Alphabet allocated $8,267,123 to cover Pichai’s security-related expenses, a notable 22% increase from the $6,775,631 spent on his protection in 2023. These security costs included various components such as residential security, consultation fees, ongoing monitoring services, use of a car and driver, as well as personal protection during all types of travel.
“Due to Sundar’s significant public profile, Alphabet provides him with security protection,” the company explained in its 2025 proxy statement. The document elaborated on the nature of his security arrangements, noting that they encompassed a comprehensive suite of services to ensure his safety. “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 proxy statement specified.
Alphabet described these expenses as justified and beneficial for both the company and its shareholders. “Alphabet called Pichai’s personal security expenses ‘reasonable, appropriate, necessary and in the best interests of Alphabet and its stockholders,’” the filing noted.
This high level of security spending is not exclusive to Pichai or Google. Other top executives in the tech sector also receive extensive personal security benefits, often amounting to seven or even eight figures annually. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, received total compensation of $27.2 million in 2024, which included a $14 million pre-tax security allowance. Likewise, Nvidia, a leading graphics and AI chipmaker, spent close to $2.5 million on CEO Jensen Huang’s security costs in the same year.
These executive protection expenditures are reflective of the risks associated with leading some of the most powerful and visible technology companies in the world. With growing public scrutiny, political pressure, and corporate competition, companies argue that such protective measures are critical to safeguarding their top leaders.
Despite Pichai’s compensation being lower than Zuckerberg’s overall earnings, the increase in his security budget highlights the growing emphasis on executive protection in the tech industry. The over $1.4 million jump in security spending on Pichai from the previous year underscores the increasing perceived need for safety precautions.
In contrast to Zuckerberg’s $14 million security allowance, which formed over half of his total compensation package, Pichai’s security expenses made up about 77% of his total compensation, indicating that his base and stock awards are relatively modest compared to other tech CEOs. Nonetheless, the increase in both his base salary and security costs points to Alphabet’s recognition of his leadership value and the risks associated with his high-profile role.
The filing sheds light on broader industry compensation norms and the balancing act companies perform between rewarding their executives and addressing shareholder concerns over corporate spending. With public companies required to disclose the pay ratio between their CEOs and median workers, such filings often become a focal point of debate over corporate responsibility and income inequality.
In the case of Google, the 32:1 pay ratio between Pichai and the median employee is significantly lower than in many other industries, especially in sectors where CEO compensation can exceed hundreds of times that of a typical worker. Nevertheless, these numbers still draw attention from shareholders, media, and the public, especially amid discussions on cost-cutting measures and layoffs that some tech companies have pursued in recent years.
Alphabet’s emphasis on security and the reasoning behind such expenditures may also be an attempt to pre-empt criticism. The proxy statement seeks to assure investors that each dollar spent on security is “necessary and in the best interests” of the company and its stakeholders. In an era where high-profile tech leaders can face threats online and offline, companies argue that ensuring their safety is essential for the business’s continuity and success.
The revelation about Pichai’s compensation and the broader trends in executive pay at tech giants also arrive at a time when questions are being raised about the sustainability of ever-increasing salaries and perks in Silicon Valley. With fluctuating markets, investor demands for profitability, and increasing scrutiny over corporate governance, executive compensation packages are likely to remain a topic of public and investor interest.
In conclusion, Google’s new SEC filing reveals not just the substantial median salary of a typical employee, which continues to grow annually, but also the high value placed on executive leadership and protection. Sundar Pichai’s compensation in 2024, totaling over $10.7 million, reflects both a financial reward for performance and a recognition of the personal risks associated with his role as the face of one of the world’s most influential tech companies. The $8.3 million spent on his security underscores how companies like Alphabet are navigating the complex responsibilities of executive safety and shareholder transparency.