Design Salary at Startups
Designers at early-stage startups typically earn USD 145k to 205k a year, with a median of USD 175k.
Who is hiring designers
Open roles by startup. Select a startup to see its jobs.
- 850open roles
- 579startups hiring
- 39%remote
Pay and the market
Industries
AI and machine learning (94), fintech and payments (87) and construction and real estate (74) startups have most of the openings.
Based on 287 job postings that state a salary, out of 850 open design roles.
What design work involves at an early-stage startup
You cover research, interface work and the brand, sometimes in the same week. No design system is waiting for you, so you build one while shipping. At a large company you would hand off a spec, and here you sit with the engineer building it.
Salary
Pay by country, in local currency, is on the main salary page.
Where design roles are hired
Open roles by place. Every row is a link.
Industries hiring design
Open roles by what the startup builds. Every row is a link.
Experience level
Open roles by the experience the posting asks for.
Employment type
Open roles by full-time, contract, internship and the rest.
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Questions people ask
How much do designers earn at early-stage startups?
Typically USD 145k to 205k a year, with a median of USD 175k. Startups that state a salary in the posting are the source.
Which startups are hiring the most designers?
UniSpace (21 open roles), Hush Security (9) and Kettle (9).