Software Engineer Compensation in NYC Startups
Tl;dr
Comp varies pretty widely based on industry, your experience, your leverage, the company's leverage, and more so salary ranges aren't an exact science but below is some information you might find useful if you're trying to get a feel for salaries.
Early-stage companies often trade lower cash pay for higher equity, while later-stage (Series C/D+) startups can pay salaries closer to big tech. The tables and analysis below summarize current (2025) salary ranges and typical equity offerings for NYC startup engineers, along with factors that can push offers above these ranges.
Base Salary Ranges by Role and Experience
| Role | Junior (0–2 yrs exp) | Mid-Level (≈3–5 yrs) | Senior (5–8+ yrs) | Staff/Principal (10+ yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontend Engineer | $70K–$120K | $110K–$160K | $150K–$190K | $180K–$250K |
| Full Stack Engineer | $80K–$130K | $130K–$170K | $160K–$200K | $180K–$260K |
| Backend Engineer | $90K–$140K | $140K–$180K | $170K–$220K | $200K–$300K |
| Design Engineer | $70K–$110K | $110K–$150K | $140K–$180K | $170K–$210K |
These ranges reflect base salary only, not total comp (equity, bonuses, benefits).
Salaries vary by funding stage and company size. For example, early-stage startups (Seed–Series A) may offer lower base but more equity; late-stage startups (Series C–D) often offer higher base pay with moderate equity.
Exceptional candidates (top-tier experience, pedigree, or portfolio) regularly receive offers above the stated band, especially for senior and staff-level roles.
Job descriptions often list "average" ranges; strong candidates can negotiate beyond the listed range.
Leveling Framework
Junior Engineer (0–2 Years)
- Scope: Owns individual features, bugfixes, and scoped tasks
- Expectations: Writes production-ready code; ships independently with guidance available
- Notes: "Junior" indicates limited experience, not limited ability; expected to contribute meaningfully from day one
Mid-Level Engineer (≈3–5 Years)
- Scope: Owns large features end-to-end; leads small projects
- Expectations: Independently delivers projects; collaborates cross-functionally with product, design, and engineering
- Notes: Demonstrates growing technical judgment, reliability, and early mentorship of junior peers
Senior Engineer (5–8+ Years)
- Scope: Owns major systems; drives team-wide technical initiatives; defines architecture for projects
- Expectations: Leads complex projects; mentors across experience levels; elevates overall code quality and system design
- Notes: Expected to show strong product sense, leadership without formal authority, and multiple examples of successful impact
Staff / Principal Engineer (10+ Years)
- Scope: Owns broad technical domains across teams or the org; drives technical strategy
- Expectations: Leads multi-team initiatives; influences executive and cross-departmental decisions; scales systems and teams
- Notes: Represents technical authority at company level; mentors senior engineers; expected to multiply org effectiveness
Equity Compensation and Funding Stage
In addition to cash, equity (stock options) is a major component of startup compensation. Equity grants vary significantly by a startup's stage and the seniority of the hire. Early employees receive a larger ownership stake (in percentage terms) than later hires.
Seed/Pre-Seed: 1–3% equity possible for founding engineers; junior hires ~0.5% or less.
Series A: Junior ~0.05–0.1%, Senior ~0.1–0.3%. Example: 0.17% + $170K base at $10M valuation.
Series B–C: Mid/Senior ~0.02–0.08%.
Series D+: Equity ~0.01% or less. Offers emphasize cash.
Standard vesting: 4 years with a 1-year cliff. Some companies offer comp flexibility (e.g. $150K + 0.1% vs $130K + 0.2%).
Exceeding the Ranges: Standout Candidates & Market Factors
Highly Sought-After Talent: Startups stretch budgets for rare skills, FAANG offers, or prestige. Titles may be inflated (e.g. Staff).
Founding Team Roles: Early pivotal hires can command 5%+ equity and above-market comp for stage.
Well-Funded Early Startups: Large rounds = high pay, even at Seed. Series B may still underpay if cash-constrained.
Market and Timing: NYC 2025 remains competitive. Layoffs haven't changed that for top-tier startups.
Instead of violating pay bands, startups often bump candidates up levels or use sign-on bonuses to close deals.
Cash vs. Equity Trade-offs at Different Stages
Early-stage: Big equity, lower cash. High risk, high potential reward (e.g. 0.5% of a unicorn).
Late-stage: More salary, less equity. Success more certain, upside already priced in.
Example: Staff backend at Series D might earn $200K+ base + 0.01% equity.
Some startups let you choose between more equity/lower salary or less equity/higher salary. It's about risk tolerance.