Customer success manager salaries in the UK and US (2026)
Customer success pay is usually base plus a smaller variable tied to retention or expansion. Here’s what startups pay in 2026.
Updated November 2026. All figures are drafts pending Jono’s sign-off.
United Kingdom.
OTE (base:variable) for permanent hires at venture-backed startups. London, then the rest of the UK.
| Level | London | Rest of UK |
|---|---|---|
| CSM (SMB) | £38k-£50k OTE · 80:20 | £32k-£42k OTE · 80:20 |
| CSM (mid-market) | £48k-£65k OTE · 80:20 | £40k-£55k OTE · 80:20 |
| Enterprise CSM | £65k-£90k OTE · 80:20 | £55k-£75k OTE · 80:20 |
| CS team lead / manager | £75k-£100k OTE · 80:20 | £62k-£85k OTE · 80:20 |
| Head of Customer Success | £100k-£150k OTE · 75:25 | £85k-£125k OTE · 75:25 |
United States.
OTE (base:variable). San Francisco and New York, then everywhere else, including remote.
| Level | SF / NY | Other US and remote |
|---|---|---|
| CSM (SMB) | $80k-$105k OTE · 80:20 | $70k-$92k OTE · 80:20 |
| CSM (mid-market) | $100k-$130k OTE · 80:20 | $88k-$115k OTE · 80:20 |
| Enterprise CSM | $130k-$170k OTE · 80:20 | $115k-$150k OTE · 80:20 |
| CS team lead / manager | $145k-$185k OTE · 80:20 | $125k-$160k OTE · 80:20 |
| Head of Customer Success | $190k-$270k OTE · 75:25 | $165k-$235k OTE · 75:25 |
Typical option grants.
For a mid-level or senior hire, as a percentage of the company.
- Seed
- 0.05%-0.3%
- Series A
- 0.03%-0.15%
- Series B+
- 0.01%-0.06%
What moves the number.
- 01Segment. Enterprise CSMs managing big accounts earn more.
- 02Commercial ownership. Owning renewals and expansion adds variable pay.
- 03Technical depth. CSMs who can handle implementation and integration questions price higher.
- 04Book size. More revenue under management usually means more pay.
If you’re hiring one.
- Give them a number: retention, expansion or both.
- Don’t hire a support agent and call them customer success.
- Bring them in before renewals start, not after churn arrives.
Ranges are typical, not limits. A great candidate in a hot market can sit above them.