Apple’s New CEO John Ternus: How Much Will He Earn Compared to Tim Cook?
Brief By Abplive.com / 2:27 PM on 02 Sep 2026
Apple has a new CEO. John Ternus took over as the company’s chief executive on September 1, replacing Tim Cook after nearly 15 years. His appointment has attracted attention not only because of his long career at Apple but also because of the compensation package reportedly offered to him.
John Ternus is not a newcomer to Apple. He has worked at the company for around 25 years. He joined Apple in 2001 as part of the Product Design team and gradually moved into senior leadership positions. In 2013, he became Vice President of Hardware Engineering, and in 2021, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.
According to media reports, Ternus will receive a total compensation package worth around $58 million. This includes a base salary of $3 million. On a monthly basis, his basic salary comes to approximately $250,000, before taxes and other deductions.
A significant portion of his compensation will come from stock-based awards. Ternus is reportedly set to receive target stock awards worth around $55 million for the next year. His package also includes a one-time Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) grant worth $2.5 million.
Tim Cook’s compensation package was reportedly worth $47 million. His annual base salary was $2 million, while his planned stock awards were valued at around $45 million.
However, Cook’s actual earnings in the previous year were considerably higher. He reportedly earned around $74.3 million during that period, reflecting the impact of stock awards and other components of executive compensation.
Compared with Cook’s reported $47 million package, Ternus’ $58 million package represents an increase of approximately $11 million. However, this does not mean his monthly salary is $4.8 million, as most of the package consists of stock-based compensation rather than fixed salary.
Ternus’ appointment marks a major leadership transition for Apple, and his compensation package highlights the company’s expectations from its new CEO.