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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 152k per year, with a range from 46k to 328k. The salary range for CTOs varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
151.9k
Average Salary
6 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average CTO salary is $151,875, which is 17.7% higher than the average startup salary of $129,000. 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
$257,417/yr
Range $190k - $328k
Average
$151,875/yr
Range $100k - $223k
Below Average
$105,667/yr
Range $46k - $168k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CTO can get in San Diego, that is $181,500. This pay is 19.5% higher than the average CTO salary in startups, which is $151,875. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: San Diego (avg $181,500 per year), Minneapolis (avg $177,500 per year), Denver (avg $150,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
San Diego
$181.5k
Minneapolis
$177.5k
Denver
$150k
New York
$150k
Boston
$135k
Vancouver
$132k
Los Angeles
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a CTO can get in CRM, that is $400,000. This pay is 22.9% higher than the average CTO salary, which is $325,350. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: CRM (avg $400,000 per year), Legal (avg $390,000 per year), Analytics (avg $380,000 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 36.1% lower than the average CTO salary, which is $151,875. 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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