Highest paid CEO in US is Tim Cook of Apple

Tim Cook reported a salary of US$8.75 million but took home US$145m last year. Photo / Bloomberg

Despite Apple announcing its first annual decline in revenue, CEO Tim Cook raked in US$145 million ($198m) last year.

Bloomberg's top 25 S&P 500 CEOs released today revealed Cook's 2016 take-home pay came mainly from vested stock of 1.26 million shares, valued at US$136m. Those shares were awarded after he became Apple's CEO in 2011, Bloomberg reported.

Cook had a reported salary of US$8.75m - and his net worth stands at US$785m.

Netflix Founder and CEO, Reed Hastings. Netflix shares have surged more than 3,000 per cent in the last 10 years. Photo / Getty

Bloomberg reported Netflix CEO Reed Hasting was the next top earner, taking home US$106m mainly from exercised options that were granted as early as 2006.

Netflix shares have surged more than 3000 per cent in the last 10 years, according to Bloomberg. Annual revenue in 2016 was US$8.83b with a profit of US$186.7m. The entertainment streaming service recently announced a customer base of close to 100 million.

Oracle's Safra Catz was fourth on the list and the highest female CEO on the list with US$93m.

Media bosses also took home big figures. CBS Corp's Leslie Moonves collected more than US$54m and Walt Disney's Bob Iger picked up over US$48m.

Take-home pay for the top 25 S&P 500 CEOs totalled about US$1.65b.

CEOs in the technology, healthcare and media industries dominated the Bloomberg list.