What startups pay, role by role.
Base salary and OTE ranges for every role we hire, UK first, then the US. Engineering and go-to-market (sales, growth and marketing). Updated November 2026.
Every figure is a draft benchmark pending Jono’s sign-off.
Engineering.
- AI/ML engineers AI engineers are the priciest hire on most startup plans right now. Here’s what the market looks like, so your offer lands the first time.
- Software engineers From your founding engineer to your head of engineering, here’s what startups pay in the UK and US, and what moves the number.
- Data engineers Data engineers sit between software and analytics on pay. Here’s where the market is in 2026, from your founding data hire to head of data.
- Security engineers Security people who can read code and fix what they find are scarce, and priced like it. Here’s the 2026 picture for startups.
Go-to-market.
- Founding & account executives AE pay is all about OTE and the split behind it. Here’s what startups pay by segment in 2026, plus what a founding AE should expect.
- SDRs & BDRs SDR pay is mostly base, with a real bonus for meetings and pipeline. Here’s what startups pay in 2026, from new starter to SDR manager.
- Sales leaders Sales leader packages swing more than any other role here. Here’s what startups pay in 2026, and what moves it.
- Growth & demand-gen marketers Marketing pay depends on how close the job sits to pipeline. Here’s what startups pay growth and demand-gen people in 2026.
- GTM engineers & RevOps The people behind your go-to-market (sales, growth and marketing) systems are in demand, and GTM engineer pay has caught up fast. Here’s the 2026 picture.
- Customer success Customer success pay is usually base plus a smaller variable tied to retention or expansion. Here’s what startups pay in 2026.