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What the numbers say: The average annual salary for U.S.-based startup CEOs dropped 5% from 2022. Startup CEOs now make $142,000 on average, down from $150,000 in 2022, per Kruze Consulting. The figure is the lowest since 2020. What happened: Startup CEOs are taking lower salaries to extend the cash runway of their respective firms amidst a venture funding slump caused by economic headwinds, rising inflation, and unfavorable market debut conditions. Some CEOs are giving up their entire salaries as they navigate their startups through the prolonged venture funding slump. Where to see the impact: Since the crypto, D2C, and e-commerce sectors witnessed the highest drop in VC funding, CEOs of such startups are likely to have seen the highest compensation cuts. On the other hand, CEOs of biotech and healthcare startups have been able to raise their pay as these sectors are still attracting significant VC funding.
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Relevance:
While both male and female startup CEOs saw a drop in their
compensations, the pay difference between them narrowed from last year.
Startup women CEOs earned $14,000 less on average than their male
counterparts in 2023, compared to a $20,000 difference in 2022.