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CTO Salary and Equity in San Diego 2026
How much does a CTO expect to make at San Diego-based startups? The average expected salary for CTOs in San Diego-based startups is 199k per year, with a range from 125k to 389k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for CTOs in San Diego startups varies depending on factors such as industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
199.1k
Average Salary
8 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average salary for a CTO in San Diego is $199,100, which is 47.1% higher than the average San Diego startup salary of$135,375. CTO salaries in San Diego are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$332,100/yr
Range $275k - $389k
Average
$199,100/yr
Range $145k - $318k
Below Average
$170,500/yr
Range $125k - $243k
Industries
The highest average salary a CTO in San Diego can get in B2B, that is $160,000. This pay is 0.0% lower than the average CTO salary in San Diego, which is $160,000. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: B2B (avg $160,000 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a CTO in San Diego can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $190,000. This pay is 40.4% higher than the average salary in San Diego startups, which is $135,375. 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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