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User Researcher Salary and Equity in 2026
How much do User Researchers expect to make at US-based startups? The average expected salary for User Researchers in a startup is 138k per year, with a range from 55k to 250k. The salary range for User Researchers varies depending on factors such as location, industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
137.6k
Average Salary
2 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average User Researcher salary is $137,583, which is 21.9% higher than the average startup salary of $112,833. User Researcher 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
$202,750/yr
Range $157k - $250k
Average
$137,583/yr
Range $65k - $183k
Below Average
$87,958/yr
Range $55k - $135k
Top Locations
The highest average salary a User Researcher can get in Los Angeles, that is $182,500. This pay is 32.6% higher than the average User Researcher salary in startups, which is $137,583. Salaries will vary based on your location. The top-paying markets in the US, on average, are currently: Los Angeles (avg $182,500 per year), New York (avg $177,000 per year), San Francisco Bay Area (avg $100,000 per year). Remote jobs often pay based on the location you reside in.
Industries
The highest average salary a User Researcher can get in Ticketing, that is $212,500. This pay is 3.6% higher than the average User Researcher salary, which is $205,100. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Ticketing (avg $212,500 per year), Ediscovery (avg $212,500 per year), Search (avg $212,500 per year).
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a User Researcher can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $110,000. This pay is 20.0% lower than the average User Researcher salary, which is $137,583. 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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