Technology executive compensation went through a historic correction in 2022 to 2023 as the hiring boom deflated. The 2025 market has stabilized, but it looks different from 2021: less equity-driven inflation, more performance-contingent structures, and a clearer separation between high-demand roles (security, AI/ML, platform) and more commoditized ones.
What's Changed Since 2021
- Sign-on bonuses are far less common for roles below VP level
- Equity refresh schedules have been tightened at most public companies
- RSU values have compressed from their 2020–2021 peaks
- Total comp is more base-weighted than it was at the peak
- Premium is growing for AI/ML expertise, security, and infrastructure, these remain competitive
2025 Total Cash Benchmarks by Role (Series B–D)
- VP of Engineering: $220K–$320K base + 15–25% target bonus + equity
- CTO: $280K–$400K base + 20–30% target bonus + equity
- CISO / VP of Security: $240K–$360K base + bonus + equity
- VP of Product: $200K–$300K base + bonus + equity
- VP of Data / Analytics: $200K–$290K base + bonus + equity
- Director of Engineering: $175K–$250K base + bonus + equity
Equity Benchmarks by Stage
Equity norms shift significantly by company stage. At Series A–B, VP-level equity grants typically run 0.1%–0.5% over a 4-year vest. At Series C–D, grants compress to 0.05%–0.2% as the cap table is fuller. At pre-IPO, total equity value may be larger despite smaller percentages. Vesting structures are almost universally 4-year with a 1-year cliff.
The Premium Roles in 2025
Three technology executive profiles command a meaningful premium in the current market: (1) AI/ML infrastructure leaders who can build production AI systems at scale, (2) experienced CISOs with proven track records in regulated industries, and (3) platform engineering leaders who can design systems for horizontal scale. These roles are seeing 10–20% above-benchmark compensation in competitive searches.
Remote Work's Impact on Compensation
The geographic arbitrage of remote compensation has largely normalized. Most companies have moved to national pay bands (or broad regional ones) rather than location-adjusted compensation. A VP of Engineering in Phoenix is earning close to what their counterpart in San Francisco earns at the same company stage. This is a significant structural change from 2019.
Our technology practice specializes in VP and C-level placements at SaaS, cybersecurity, and platform companies. Contact us for a custom comp benchmark for your specific role, stage, and market.
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