Highest-paying Jobs
Explore the highest-paying roles in the startup ecosystem for February 2026. All salary data is based on real job postings and converted to USD equivalents.
Top Paying Roles
In February 2026, Managing Director roles lead with the highest compensation at $600,000 per year. Other high-paying roles include Research Engineer ($481,302) and Regional Sales Director ($463,625).
| Rank | Role | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Managing Director | $600,000 |
| #2 | Research Engineer | $481,302 |
| #3 | Regional Sales Director | $463,625 |
| #4 | Research Scientist | $455,000 |
| #5 | Software Engineer, Data | $435,624 |
| #6 | Sales Director | $425,000 |
| #7 | Sales Specialist | $396,750 |
| #8 | Director of Product | $382,500 |
| #9 | Strategic Account Executive | $364,694 |
| #10 | Machine Learning Engineer | $364,409 |
Top Paying Countries
In February 2026, startups in 🇿🇦 South Africa offer the highest compensation at $253,584 per year. Other top-paying countries include 🇸🇬 Singapore ($233,461) and 🇮🇪 Ireland ($223,049).
| Rank | Country | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | $253,584 |
| #2 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | $233,461 |
| #3 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | $223,049 |
| #4 | 🇺🇸 United States | $222,899 |
| #5 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | $210,413 |
| #6 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $200,897 |
| #7 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | $200,279 |
| #8 | 🇵🇱 Poland | $198,050 |
| #9 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | $194,700 |
| #10 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | $194,641 |