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Systems Engineer Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do Systems Engineers expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for Systems Engineers in a startup is 148k per year, with a range from 85k to 234k. The salary range for Systems Engineers varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
148.3k
Average Salary
5 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average Systems Engineer salary is $148,292, which is 15.0% higher than the average startup salary of $129,000. Systems Engineer 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
$208,083/yr
Range $170k - $234k
Average
$148,292/yr
Range $100k - $167k
Below Average
$117,875/yr
Range $85k - $135k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a Systems Engineer can get in Seattle, that is $166,500. This pay is 12.3% higher than the average Systems Engineer salary in startups, which is $148,292. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Seattle (avg $166,500 per year), Santa Monica (avg $165,000 per year), Austin (avg $155,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Seattle
$166.5k
Santa Monica
$165k
Austin
$155k
New York
$145k
San Diego
$143.5k
Minneapolis
$135k
Denver
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View SalariesSan Francisco Bay Area
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View SalariesIndustries
The highest average salary a Systems Engineer can get in Trading, that is $250,000. This pay is 5.0% higher than the average Systems Engineer salary, which is $238,100. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Trading (avg $250,000 per year), Enterprises (avg $249,000 per year), Advanced Materials (avg $244,500 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a Systems Engineer can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $38,000. This pay is 74.4% lower than the average Systems Engineer salary, which is $148,292. 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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