Bill Gates does not have a specific salary. Instead Mr. Gates generates income via his diverse stock portfolio and numerous investments he made outside of Microsoft. Bill Gates is no longer an active employee of Microsoft having resigned effective July 1, 2008. In 2009 Mr. Gates received $173,620 from Microsoft; $69,466 for "Fee earned or paid in cash" and $1104,154 for "Stock Awards". As a Director of Berkshire Hathaway Mr. Gates has received only $2,700 in compensation for the years 2007 - 2009. Mr. Gates received $3,000 in 2006. This is identical compensation to other members of Berkshire's board. $250 per second or 7.8 billion per year! if he drops a thousand dollar bill by the time he picks it up he would have already earned back in 4 seconds!