Technology · Level M4 · Salary
VP of Engineering salary
Typical total compensation (US national)
$880,000–$990,000
Base
$330,000
Bonus
$100,000
Equity (annual)
$500,000
Indicative, sourced — not a guarantee. KORE1 / CTAIO VP of Engineering Salary Guide 2026: base median ~$215-300k; total $245k (Series A) to $1.4M+ (public hyperscaler)
Pay by metro — nominal vs cost-adjusted
“Real” adjusts for cost of living, so a high headline number in an expensive metro can be worth less in practice. Ranked by real pay.
| Metro | Nominal | Real (cost-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $976,500 | $957,353 |
| Remote (US national) | $930,000 | $930,000 |
| Atlanta | $911,400 | $930,000 |
| Seattle | $1,097,400 | $914,500 |
| Chicago | $930,000 | $861,111 |
| Denver | $930,000 | $845,455 |
| Boston | $1,004,400 | $744,000 |
| New York City | $1,097,400 | $708,000 |
| Los Angeles | $1,004,400 | $692,690 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $1,162,500 | $645,833 |