Communications
Data updated July 2026
30 companies · FY2025
Reading the Communications CEO Pay Landscape (SIC 48, FY2025)
The Communications industry, classified under 2-digit SIC code 48, had 30 SEC-reporting public companies disclose CEO pay ratio data in fiscal year 2025. Across that set of firms, the median CEO-to-worker pay ratio was 87:1 and the average was 176:1. Median CEO total compensation in the sector was $10.8M, with the sector-wide average at $20.6M. These figures are aggregated from DEF 14A proxy statements filed under Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Act, which requires every U.S.-listed reporting company to compare its CEO's total compensation against a representative median employee.
Pay dispersion inside this industry is substantial. The 25th percentile CEO in Communications earned $3.6M, while the 75th percentile CEO earned $26.0M - a spread that shows how firm size, equity-heavy compensation packages, and performance-linked incentives can drive very different outcomes even among peers sharing the same SIC code. The gap between the 176:1 average and the 87:1 median is wide, which almost always signals that a small number of very-high-pay CEOs are pulling the mean upward; the median is the fairer yardstick for "a typical company in this sector."
Below you can scan each of the 81 Communications companies PlainCEOPay currently tracks in this SIC group, with reported CEO total compensation, median worker pay, and individual pay ratios. Company pages show how each available filing compares with this industry benchmark. The current dataset does not include a CEO name or an itemized compensation breakdown for each company. All displayed figures are drawn from SEC EDGAR filings; they are not estimated, imputed, or projected.
Companies in Communications (81)
| Company | CEO Pay | Median Worker | Pay Ratio | FY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1437107 | $165.0M | $120K | 1,378:1 | 2025 |
| T-Mobile US, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1283699 | $37.5M | $72K | 521:1 | 2023 |
| Nexstar Media Group, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1142417 | $29.1M | $57K | 509:1 | 2023 |
| T-Mobile US, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1283699 | $38.0M | $76K | 499:1 | 2025 |
| Comcast CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1166691 | - | - | 398:1 | 2023 |
| Liberty Global Ltd.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1570585 | $37.8M | $99K | 383:1 | 2025 |
| Comcast CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1166691 | - | - | 381:1 | 2025 |
| Liberty Latin America Ltd.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1712184 | $16.1M | $45K | 356:1 | 2023 |
| Liberty Global Ltd.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1570585 | $44.5M | $135K | 329:1 | 2023 |
| Fox CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1754301 | $33.0M | $101K | 327:1 | 2024 |
| Liberty Latin America Ltd.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1712184 | $16.9M | $52K | 322:1 | 2025 |
| Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1437107 | $49.6M | $171K | 290:1 | 2023 |
| Paramount GlobalSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 813828 | $31.3M | $114K | 274:1 | 2023 |
| Fox CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1754301 | $23.8M | $89K | 267:1 | 2023 |
| Lumen Technologies, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 18926 | - | - | 260:1 | 2025 |
| Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1158324 | $25.4M | $98K | 259:1 | 2025 |
| Verizon Communications IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 732712 | $38.3M | $154K | 248:1 | 2025 |
| Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 20520 | $25.1M | $109K | 230:1 | 2023 |
| At&t Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 732717 | $29.9M | $139K | 215:1 | 2025 |
| iHeartMedia, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1400891 | $13.9M | $67K | 206:1 | 2023 |
| Gray Media, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 43196 | $11.5M | $57K | 202:1 | 2025 |
| Gray Media, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 43196 | $10.6M | $54K | 197:1 | 2023 |
| Optimum Communications, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1702780 | $15.1M | $78K | 194:1 | 2025 |
| Sinclair, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1971213 | $10.8M | $56K | 194:1 | 2025 |
| At&t Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 732717 | $26.5M | $137K | 193:1 | 2023 |
| Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLCSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 912752 | $9.6M | $54K | 178:1 | 2022 |
| Tegna IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 39899 | $11.0M | $67K | 165:1 | 2023 |
| AMC Global Media Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1514991 | - | - | 164:1 | 2023 |
| Paramount GlobalSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 813828 | $19.5M | $129K | 151:1 | 2024 |
| DISH Network CORPSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1001082 | $10.8M | $73K | 149:1 | 2022 |
| Verizon Communications IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 732712 | $24.2M | $24K | 144:1 | 2023 |
| Tegna IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 39899 | - | - | 130:1 | 2024 |
| Sinclair, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1971213 | $7.2M | $57K | 127:1 | 2023 |
| Frontier Communications Parent, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 20520 | $12.4M | $103K | 121:1 | 2024 |
| Cable One, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1632127 | - | - | 118:1 | 2025 |
| Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1158324 | $11.0M | $95K | 116:1 | 2023 |
| Lumen Technologies, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 18926 | - | - | 113:1 | 2023 |
| AMC Global Media Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1514991 | - | - | 106:1 | 2024 |
| Cable One, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1632127 | $7.7M | $74K | 105:1 | 2023 |
| EchoStar CORPSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1415404 | $8.9M | $85K | 105:1 | 2024 |
| AST SpaceMobile, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1780312 | $14.3M | $139K | 103:1 | 2025 |
| Roku, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1428439 | $26.6M | $268K | 99:1 | 2025 |
| TechTarget Holdings Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1293282 | $2.0M | $22K | 90:1 | 2023 |
| Roku, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1428439 | $20.2M | $253K | 80:1 | 2023 |
| Entravision Communications CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1109116 | $4.1M | $55K | 75:1 | 2025 |
| EchoStar CORPSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1415404 | $111K | $109K | 65:1 | 2023 |
| Gogo Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1537054 | $8.7M | $139K | 63:1 | 2023 |
| Viasat IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 797721 | $8.9M | $156K | 57:1 | 2023 |
| ATN International, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 879585 | $3.6M | $64K | 56:1 | 2023 |
| ATN International, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 879585 | $3.0M | $55K | 55:1 | 2025 |
| Sirius Xm Holdings Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 908937 | $8.0M | $153K | 52:1 | 2025 |
| E.W. SCRIPPS CoSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 832428 | $7.2M | $73K | 51:1 | 2025 |
| Optimum Communications, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1702780 | $4.3M | $87K | 50:1 | 2023 |
| Iridium Communications Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1418819 | $9.0M | $179K | 50:1 | 2025 |
| Sirius Xm Holdings Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 908937 | $7.2M | $146K | 49:1 | 2023 |
| Iridium Communications Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1418819 | $9.0M | $183K | 49:1 | 2023 |
| Viasat IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 797721 | $8.0M | $177K | 45:1 | 2024 |
| Audacy, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1067837 | - | - | 41:1 | 2022 |
| Shenandoah Telecommunications Co/va/SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 354963 | $3.4M | $86K | 40:1 | 2023 |
| TechTarget, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 2018064 | - | - | 36:1 | 2025 |
| Shenandoah Telecommunications Co/va/SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 354963 | $2.3M | $73K | 36:1 | 2025 |
| Spok Holdings, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1289945 | $2.3M | $112K | 21:1 | 2023 |
| Spok Holdings, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1289945 | $2.4M | $113K | 21:1 | 2025 |
| Adeia Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1803696 | $5.4M | $300K | 18:1 | 2023 |
| Anterix Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1304492 | - | - | 16:1 | 2025 |
| Ziff Davis, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1084048 | $1.2M | $82K | 14:1 | 2025 |
| Adeia Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1803696 | $6.5M | $448K | 14:1 | 2025 |
| E.W. SCRIPPS CoSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 832428 | $5.3M | $68K | 12:1 | 2023 |
| Idt CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1005731 | $1.5M | $164K | 9:1 | 2024 |
| Crexendo, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1075736 | - | - | 9:1 | 2024 |
| Calix, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1406666 | - | - | 8:1 | 2023 |
| Ziff Davis, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1084048 | $521K | $74K | 7:1 | 2023 |
| Telephone & Data Systems Inc /de/SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1051512 | $499K | $71K | 7:1 | 2023 |
| Array Digital Infrastructure, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 821130 | - | - | 6:1 | 2023 |
| Telephone & Data Systems Inc /de/SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1051512 | $453K | $75K | 6:1 | 2025 |
| Idt CorpSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1005731 | $1.1M | $218K | 5:1 | 2023 |
| Calix, IncSEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1406666 | - | - | 5:1 | 2025 |
| Crexendo, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1075736 | $331K | $110K | 3:1 | 2022 |
| Globalstar, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1366868 | $91K | $91K | 1:1 | 2023 |
| Globalstar, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 1366868 | $102K | $102K | 1:1 | 2025 |
| Array Digital Infrastructure, Inc.SEC EDGAR DEF 14A, CIK 821130 | - | - | 1:1 | 2025 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the typical pay ratio in Communications? ▼
How much do Communications CEOs earn? ▼
How many companies report CEO pay in Communications? ▼
Where does this Communications pay data come from? ▼
Why is the average pay ratio much higher than the median in Communications? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainCEOPay is rendered directly from SEC EDGAR executive compensation filings, no number is typed in by an editor. Industry benchmarks are computed directly from SEC EDGAR filings, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.