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CTO salary in Artificial Intelligence startups in 2026
How much does a CTO expect to make in Artificial Intelligence startups? The average expected salary for CTOs in Artificial Intelligence startups is 108k per year, with a range from 20k to 261k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for CTOs in Artificial Intelligence startup varies depending on factors such as location, experience, skills, and startup stage.
107.6k
Average Salary
5 years
Average years of experience

Salary
The average salary for a CTO in Artificial Intelligence startups is $107,604, which is 19.1% lower than the average salary of $133,042 in Artificial Intelligence startups. CTO salaries in Artificial Intelligence 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, and skill-set.
Top of market
$206,333/yr
Range $160k - $261k
Average
$107,604/yr
Range $51k - $160k
Below Average
$66,563/yr
Range $20k - $105k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a CTO in Artificial Intelligence can get in Remote, that is $200,000. This pay is 85.9% higher than the average CTO salary in Artificial Intelligence startups, which is $107,604. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Remote (avg $200,000 per year), Boston (avg $150,000 per year), Denver (avg $150,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Remote
$200k
Boston
$150k
Denver
$150k
Seattle
$145k
Austin
$135k
London
$135k
Chicago
View SalariesLos Angeles
View SalariesSan Francisco Bay Area
View SalariesIndustries
Use the filters above to discover compensation across companies similar to yours.
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a CTO in Artificial Intelligence can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $97,000. This pay is 27.1% lower than the average salary in Artificial Intelligence startups, which is $133,042. 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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