Marketing executive compensation trends seem to mostly align with the current average rates for leadership roles across tech in 2024, but a lot of the underlying patterns point to considerable changes in the field as startups navigate new realities in the market. Betts has put together insights taken from our latest Executive Compensation Guide and a few other sources to breakdown how these developments are impacting hiring and salary rates for VPs of Marketing, Directors of Marketing and CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers) in the technology industry:
2024 Compensation Trends for Marketing Tech Executives
The story of tech executive comp throughout 2024 is a tale of a stressful dichotomy – the growth of salaries has come to a standstill, yet team leaders are probably more overwhelmed than they have ever been. A cascade of economic factors are challenging the whole technology startup sector, causing most firms to tighten budgets and try to “do more with less” to make up for the shortfalls while continuing to scale revenue. However, for those marketing exec candidates that bring a greater wealth experience, specialized skill sets and a proven track record, rates will usually increase above the average offer, particularly at those companies that have reached later rounds of funding.
Specific Comp Trends for Marketing Executives at Tech Startups
Here are the average salary and bonus rates we found for top marketing executive positions after surveying multiple tech startups from Seed to Series D:
Director of Marketing
- Base Salary Range: $175,000 – $260,000
- Median Salary Range: $200,000 – $240,000 (Seed to Series C and D)
- Bonus Range: 10% to 25% (many don’t qualify until Series C)
- Median Bonus Range: 10% to 20% (Series A to Series D)
- Notable Trend: Compensation metrics for Directors of Marketing in technology remained steady from 2023 to 2024, with the same rates across all startup funding rounds
VP of Marketing
- Salary Range: $200,000 – $300,000 (Series A to Series D)
- Median Range: $235,000 – $275,000
- Bonus Rates: 10% to 30% across all funding rounds (median at 20%)
- Notable Trend: VPs of Marketing at Series A tech startups saw a dip on the lower end of their pay band from 2023 to 2024
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
- Salary Range: $250,000 – $400,000
- Median Range: $275,000 – $350,000 (Series A to Series D)
- Bonus Range: 15% to 40% (median typically 30% from Series B to D, 25% at Series A)
- Notable Trend: CMO is one of the few C-level titles in the technology startup space that saw a slight upward bump in average salary from 2023 to 2024
Factors Influencing Marketing Tech Exec Compensation & Hiring Trends
Here are some of the biggest trends affecting both compensation and hiring rates for marketing executives in tech for 2024:
The Impact of Generative AI on Marketing
AI is gradually transforming the marketing landscape, becoming a crucial solution for team leaders aiming to scale operations and drive greater efficiency. It is expected that artificial intelligence usage will grow in the field, with 85% of marketers acknowledging that Generative AI is changing how they handle content. For marketing executives, proficiency in AI-driven tools is becoming a key differentiator in compensation discussions and many startups are seeking candidates that already have familiarity with these types of platforms to make adoption easier.
Empathy & Other Soft Skills Required for Tech Leadership
SaaS companies are looking for leaders that can balance driving results and meeting goals with being able to manage their teams with empathy. Overall, “soft skills” are becoming increasingly important for tech executive hires, such as:
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Leadership
- Empathy
- Strategy
- Decision-making
- Networking
- Conflict Resolution
- Resilience
- Continuous Learning
Data Connectivity Challenges for Marketers
Another significant challenge facing marketing executives in 2024 is the ongoing struggle with disconnected data, tools and silos between different teams across the organization. As marketing becomes more data-driven in the tech space, the ability to integrate and leverage insights across departments will become increasingly valuable for marketing leaders. Demonstrating this level of data literacy will be a key requirement when sourcing candidates for VP or Director of Marketing.
Rise of Fractional Marketing Executives
A trend rising out of the new scalability challenges in the market, recruiting fractional executives has proven to be a viable shorter-term solution for many tech startups. These are professional leaderships hired on a temp basis to lead projects and teams, as opposed to consultants who usually only provide advice. Many orgs often hire fractional marketing executives to fill in for empty Director-level roles to contribute their Expertise as a Service (EaaS).
Here is an example of popular fractional hires at the marketing exec level and their rates:
| Title | Hourly Rate | Retainer (3-month) |
| Fractional Head of Marketing | $200 – $400/hr | $10,000 – $20,000 |
Tech Executive Career Progression & Experience Value
The path to the C-suite is becoming increasingly complex – and lengthy – for junior marketing executives, with most tech companies seeking more experienced candidates before promoting Directors or VPs to C-level positions internally. The acceleration of top-level career promotions during the tech boom has slowed, with most orgs now requiring at least 10+ years of experience for a CMO hire. However, some technology startups are willing to compromise on the length of a candidate’s experience if they bring the right blend of technical and personal skills, as well as familiarity with the company’s current sales motions and a proven track record of driving marketing efforts towards it successfully.
Incentive-based Comp Structures for Marketing Executives
Marketing executive compensation is often assumed to follow a similar model to sales, where incentives are directly tied to short-term metrics like leads generated, pipeline influenced, or conversions achieved. However, this approach can stifle creativity and innovation, two qualities essential for high-performing marketing teams in tech:
Avoid Metric-Centric Compensation Pitfalls
Marketing professionals, particularly at the executive level, thrive when they are empowered to experiment, innovate and collaborate without the pressure of short-term incentives. For example, compensation tied directly to lead generation might encourage lower-quality leads as marketers rush to hit their targets. To avoid this, companies should focus on creating incentive compensation structures that reward innovation, creative problem-solving and long-term contributions to the organization’s success.
Craft Your Executive Comp Plan with Betts Recruiting
At Betts Recruiting, we specialize in connecting tech startups with high-impact go-to-market (GTM) candidates. Let us help you refine your executive search with our resources and data-driven approach, ensuring you secure the right talent at the right time to drive your business forward in 2024 and beyond.
Contact Betts here to optimize your marketing executive hiring strategy and stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.