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CTO Salary and Equity in 2024
How much do CTOs expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for CTOs in a startup is 114k per year, with a range from 35k to 250k. The salary range for CTOs varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
114.2k
Average Salary
5 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average CTO salary is $114,167, which is 12.6% higher than the average startup salary of $101,417. 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
$213,167/yr
Range $170k - $250k
Average
$114,167/yr
Range $85k - $137k
Below Average
$72,000/yr
Range $35k - $112k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CTO can get in Denver, that is $150,000. This pay is 31.4% higher than the average CTO salary in startups, which is $114,167. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Denver (avg $150,000 per year), Boston (avg $135,000 per year), Vancouver (avg $132,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Denver
$150k
Boston
$135k
Vancouver
$132k
Los Angeles
$125k
Seattle
$125k
Remote
$125k
Toronto
View SalariesSan Francisco Bay Area
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a CTO can get in Virtual Reality, that is $237,000. This pay is 10.6% higher than the average CTO salary, which is $214,300. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Virtual Reality (avg $237,000 per year), Kids (avg $237,000 per year), Babies (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 15.0% lower than the average CTO salary, which is $114,167. 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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