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Founder Salary Report 2026
Most founders default to paying themselves whatever their startup can afford. But stressing about your salary can impact your business decsions. We collected data from 1,600+ founders to help you find the right number.
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Key changes this year
Founder salaries have recovered
The gap between founder pay is widening
Bootstrapping hit a four-year high
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What's Inside
Ranges, averages, and distributions for 1,600+ founder salaries
Salary analysis by company size, stage, funding, and geography
Detailed breakouts for SF Bay Area, NYC, Boston, Texas, and more
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What factors better predict founder pay
1 in 10 founders don’t pay themselves a salary
Includes a salary breakdown by region
$158k
SF Bay Area
$112k
Other US
$145k
Boston Area
$122k
NYC Area
$96k
Texas Area
