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CTO Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do CTOs expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for CTOs in a startup is 119k per year, with a range from 46k to 255k. The salary range for CTOs varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
118.7k
Average Salary
5 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average CTO salary is $118,708, which is 5.2% higher than the average startup salary of $112,833. CTO 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
$224,708/yr
Range $190k - $255k
Average
$118,708/yr
Range $100k - $137k
Below Average
$73,292/yr
Range $46k - $112k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CTO can get in New York, that is $155,000. This pay is 30.6% higher than the average CTO salary in startups, which is $118,708. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: New York (avg $155,000 per year), Denver (avg $150,000 per year), Boston (avg $135,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
New York
$155k
Denver
$150k
Boston
$135k
Vancouver
$132k
Los Angeles
$125k
Seattle
$125k
Remote
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a CTO can get in Insurtech, that is $237,500. This pay is 5.2% higher than the average CTO salary, which is $225,850. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Insurtech (avg $237,500 per year), Parenting (avg $237,000 per year), Virtual Reality (avg $237,000 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a CTO can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $97,000. This pay is 18.3% lower than the average CTO salary, which is $118,708. 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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