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CEO Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do CEOs expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for CEOs in a startup is 119k per year, with a range from 45k to 435k. The salary range for CEOs varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
118.8k
Average Salary
4 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average CEO salary is $118,750, which is 7.9% lower than the average startup salary of $129,000. CEO salaries are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: location, years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$299,625/yr
Range $213k - $435k
Average
$118,750/yr
Range $90k - $175k
Below Average
$73,000/yr
Range $45k - $100k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CEO can get in Austin, that is $215,000. This pay is 81.1% higher than the average CEO salary in startups, which is $118,750. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Austin (avg $215,000 per year), Boston (avg $215,000 per year), New York (avg $131,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Austin
$215k
Boston
$215k
New York
$131k
Denver
$115k
Los Angeles
$85k
London
$75k
Chicago
View SalariesSan Diego
View SalariesSeattle
View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a CEO can get in Cryptocurrency, that is $402,000. This pay is 58.1% higher than the average CEO salary, which is $254,200. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Cryptocurrency (avg $402,000 per year), Workforce Management (avg $260,000 per year), Clinical Trials (avg $260,000 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a CEO can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $80,000. This pay is 32.6% lower than the average CEO salary, which is $118,750. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.
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