Product, design, ops and finance salaries at UK and US startups (2026)
The other seats on a startup team, priced for 2026. Ranges are base salary for mid to senior hires.
Updated November 2026. All figures are drafts pending Jono’s sign-off.
United Kingdom.
Base salary for permanent hires at venture-backed startups. London, then the rest of the UK.
| Role | London | Rest of UK |
|---|---|---|
| Product manager (mid) | £65k-£85k | £52k-£70k |
| Senior product manager | £85k-£115k | £68k-£92k |
| Product designer (mid) | £55k-£75k | £45k-£60k |
| Senior product designer | £75k-£100k | £60k-£80k |
| Operations manager | £50k-£70k | £40k-£58k |
| Finance manager / Head of Finance | £70k-£110k | £58k-£90k |
| People / talent partner | £50k-£70k | £40k-£58k |
| Chief of staff | £80k-£120k | £65k-£95k |
United States.
Base salary. San Francisco and New York, then everywhere else, including remote.
| Role | SF / NY | Other US and remote |
|---|---|---|
| Product manager (mid) | $150k-$190k | $125k-$160k |
| Senior product manager | $185k-$240k | $155k-$200k |
| Product designer (mid) | $130k-$165k | $110k-$140k |
| Senior product designer | $160k-$210k | $135k-$175k |
| Operations manager | $100k-$140k | $85k-$120k |
| Finance manager / Head of Finance | $150k-$220k | $125k-$185k |
| People / talent partner | $110k-$150k | $95k-$130k |
| Chief of staff | $160k-$230k | $135k-$195k |
Typical option grants.
For a mid-level or senior hire, as a percentage of the company.
- Seed
- 0.1%-0.5%
- Series A
- 0.05%-0.25%
- Series B+
- 0.02%-0.1%
What moves the number.
- 01Scope. Someone who builds the function earns more than someone who joins it.
- 02Stage. Seed roles pay more equity; Series B roles pay more cash.
- 03Sector. Fintech and other regulated sectors pay more for finance and ops people.
- 04Location and remote policy. London and SF/NY pay clear premiums.
If you’re hiring one.
- Hire for the job, not the title. A chief of staff and an executive assistant are different hires.
- Think hard about your earliest finance hire. They’ll help run your next raise.
- Same as every hire: check references through work email, not personal numbers.
Ranges are typical, not limits. A great candidate in a hot market can sit above them.