Stories of excessive CEO compensation continue to make headlines. For example, a study released in mid-December revealed that CEO pay is shooting skyward, jumping almost 37% in 2010. Another story on InvestorPlace.com, just today, looks at how Viacom‘s (NASDAQ:VIAB) CEO made an astounding $84.5 million in just nine months, making him the highest-paid CEO in America. But while tales of over-the-top CEO pay pummel our news feeds, one group has been cashing their mega-checks with little fanfare. Well, until now.

CNNMoney found 25 “executives down the ladder who quietly out-earned their CEO bosses in 2010.” Here are the top five from its list of Undercover Zillionaires:

No. 1: Tim Cook, $59.1 million
Title: Formerly COO; now CEO
Company: Apple (NYSE:AAPL)
CEO: Steve Jobs
Pay difference: $59.1 million

No. 2: Blake R. Grossman, $33.7 million
Title: Former Vice Chairman
Company: BlackRock (NYSE:BLK)
CEO: Laurence D. Fink, $23.8 million
Pay difference: $9.8 million

No. 3: Stephen B. Burke, $31.3 million
Title: Formerly COO; now Executive VP, Comcast and CEO, NBCUniversal
Company: Comcast (NASDAQ:CMSCA)
CEO: Brian L. Roberts, $28.2 million
Pay difference: $3.1 million

No. 4:  Thomas M. Rutledge, $28.1 million
Title: Former COO
Company: Cablevision (NYSE:CVC)
CEO: James L. Dolan, $13.3 million
Pay difference: $14.8 million

No. 5:  Hamilton “Tony” James, $26.2 million
Title: President and COO
Company: Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX)
CEO: Stephen A. Schwarzman, $6.7 million
Pay difference: $19.4 million

Visit CNNMoney for more details about the plush pay packages of these executives, and to see the full list of 25 Undercover Zillionaires.