Climate Tech Salary Benchmark Tool
Benchmark base compensation by role, seniority, region, and company stage -- built for hiring, negotiating, and headcount planning.
Inputs
A directional benchmark for hiring, negotiating, or planning headcount budget.
Full-stack, backend, or platform engineering roles.
Cash is closer to market rate, with moderate equity (typically 0.01%-0.5%).
Directional benchmark figures, not a guarantee or a formal compensation survey. Actual pay varies by company, individual, and market conditions.
Software Engineer • Mid-level (3-5 yrs)
United States • Growth stage (Series B - D)
Approximate USD-equivalent base salary, starting from a US baseline for this role and seniority, then scaled by region cost-of-labor and company stage. Bonus, equity, and benefits are not included unless noted.
Cash is closer to market rate, with moderate equity (typically 0.01%-0.5%).
Methodology & sourcing
Base bands start from a US-market baseline per role and seniority level, informed by general public compensation reporting for climate tech and adjacent tech/engineering roles. They are rounded, directional ranges -- not a live, statistically representative salary survey.
Region figures apply an approximate cost-of-labor scaling factor relative to the US baseline; company-stage figures apply a cash-compensation scaling factor, since earlier-stage companies typically pay less cash in exchange for more equity upside, and later-stage/public companies pay closer to or above market cash with more modest equity.
FAQ
Common questions about benchmarking climate tech compensation.
What is the Climate Tech Salary Benchmark Tool?
It estimates directional base salary ranges for common climate tech roles -- engineering, science, project development, sustainability, policy, sales, and more -- adjusted for seniority, region, and company stage.
Are these figures based on real, current salary data?
They’re rounded, directional benchmarks informed by general public compensation reporting for climate tech and adjacent tech/engineering roles, not a live or statistically representative salary survey. Treat them as a starting point for negotiation or planning, not a guarantee.
Why do salaries vary so much by region?
Compensation reflects local cost of labor and market maturity. Figures are approximate USD-equivalents scaled from a US baseline -- useful for cross-region comparison, not a substitute for local market research.
How does company stage affect pay?
Earlier-stage companies (seed to Series A) typically pay less cash in exchange for more meaningful equity upside. Later-stage and public companies generally pay closer to or above market cash, with smaller, more standardized equity grants.
Why is Business Development / Sales labeled "OTE"?
Sales compensation is usually structured as a base salary plus commission. The figures shown represent on-target earnings (OTE) -- what a rep earns at 100% of quota -- not base salary alone.
Does this include bonus, equity value, or benefits?
No. Figures represent base salary (or OTE for sales roles) only. Equity and stage context are shown separately, since equity value is highly company- and outcome-dependent and can’t be reduced to a single number.
Can I share a specific benchmark with my team?
Yes. The tool generates a shareable link that preserves your selected role, seniority, region, and company stage.
Where can I find climate tech jobs or companies hiring?
Browse open roles on our Jobs board, or explore the Companies database to research who’s hiring for a given role.