The Art of CTO Compensation Benchmark provides research-backed salary and total compensation data for CTOs and tech executives segmented by company stage, team size, and geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical CTO salary at a startup?
CTO compensation varies dramatically by company stage. At pre-seed/seed startups, CTO base salary ranges from $100K-$180K with 2-5% equity. Series A CTOs earn $160K-$250K base with 1-3% equity. Series B+ CTOs earn $200K-$350K base with 0.5-1.5% equity. At public companies, CTO total compensation (base + bonus + equity) can reach $500K-$2M+. These ranges assume US-based companies and shift significantly by geography, with Bay Area at the top and remote-first companies typically offering 80-90% of hub rates.
How much equity should a CTO receive?
Equity allocation depends on when the CTO joins and their role scope. Co-founder CTOs typically receive 15-30% of initial equity. First CTO hires at funded startups receive 2-5% (pre-seed/seed), 1-3% (Series A), or 0.5-1.5% (Series B). These ranges assume a standard 4-year vesting schedule with a 1-year cliff. The equity should be evaluated on its expected value after dilution — early-stage equity carries more dilution risk but higher potential multiples.
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