Nearly 1 in 4 Americans want CEOs to "stop being greedy," survey finds

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July 31, 2026 / 6:14 PM EDT

/ CBS News

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Americans want CEOs to walk in their shoes for a while, a new survey suggests.Asked about the one thing they would want corporate leaders to understand about economic life in the U.S. today, a quarter of those polled said the cost of living is too high and that companies should make products more affordable, according to a survey from opinion research firm Echelon Insights and global advisory firm Brunswick Group. Another 23% said executives should share their wealth, earn less and "stop being greedy." Affordability issues were the top concern for 41% of respondents, with 23% citing the cost of living. The findings, based on a June survey of 1,001 registered voters, align with other data highlighting Americans' focus on affordability issues in the run-up to the midterm elections this fall. A new CBS News poll found that only 24% and 36% of voters think congressional Republicans and Democrats, respectively, are helping address cost-of-living concerns. In 2025, the average compensation package for CEOs of S&P 500 companies was $17.7 million, up 6% from the previous year, according to the Associated Press.As of early 2026, the typical full-time U.S. worker earned $64,220 per year, up 3.4% from a year earlier, according to Fidelity Investments, citing government labor data.Among the other messages Americans have for CEOs, according to Echelon and Brunswick:Pay employees more/fairly (13% of survey respondents)You are disconnected from ordinary American life (12%)Treat your employees better (12%)Prioritize American jobs/don't outsource/don't replace people with AI (7%)Do more to support communities/people that need help (5%)Not keeping paceIn a separate study by financial services firm Primerica, 71% of Americans said their income is not keeping pace with the cost of living.