Business Operations Manager

💰 $90K–$163K salary range

Median: $116K  ·  Based on 2,020 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 2026

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Serving as a lynchpin for an AI-native startup's growth, this professional optimizes operational efficiency and strategic execution. They are crucial for establishing scalable operational frameworks that support rapid AI product development, data pipeline optimization, and the efficient deployment and monitoring of AI models. Their work directly impacts the company's ability to innovate and scale effectively. Based on 253 recent job postings, the salary range for this position typically falls between $110,000 and $185,000, with a median salary of $135,000. Top compensation is often awarded to candidates demonstrating proficiency in MLOps tools, robust data governance frameworks, and practical experience with cloud-native AI services integration (e.g., AWS SageMaker, GCP Vertex AI). These skills are vital for managing the unique operational demands of AI technologies and driving sustained growth.

📊 Salary breakdown

Business Operations Manager salary by location

• All locations: $116K median ($90K–$163K typical range)
• New York: $145K median, $102K–$182K range (+25% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $160K median, $120K–$200K range (+38% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $120K median, $100K–$130K range (+3% vs. national)
• Boston: $98K median, $79K–$130K range (-16% vs. national)
• Chicago: $111K median, $90K–$165K range (-5% vs. national)
• Denver: $107K median, $91K–$136K range (-8% vs. national)
• Atlanta: $108K median, $92K–$160K range (-7% vs. national)
• Seattle: $118K median, $108K–$165K range (+1% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• OpenAI: $266K median
• Thinkingmachines: $245K median
• Stripe: $231K median
• Figma: $199K median
• Sierra AI: $185K median
• Paraform: $185K median

New York

• Moment: $215K median
• Stripe: $209K median
• Forus: $203K median
• Sapien: $200K median
• Jump Trading: $195K median
• Rillet: $185K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 77% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 52% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 55% of postings
• Parental leave: 22% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 13% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 4–5 years.

Operations salaries by seniority

• Business Operations Analyst: $98K
• Business Operations Manager: $116K
• Revenue Operations Manager: $125K
• Senior BizOps Manager: $148K
• Operations Lead: $164K
• Head of Strategy & Operations: $181K
• VP Operations: $199K

What does a Business Operations Manager do?

Business Operations Managers are operators who keep the company running and scaling. This benchmark reflects Mid-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $141K for Business Operations Manager roles, ranging $117K–$175K, across 313 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Business Operations Manager salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $116K, with a typical range of $90K–$163K, based on 2,020 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

What is the Business Operations Manager salary in New York?
New York Business Operations Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $145K, with a typical range of $102K–$182K (25th–75th percentile). That's 25% above the $116K US national median. 9% below San Francisco's $160K. Based on 216 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Business Operations Manager salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco Business Operations Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $160K, with a typical range of $120K–$200K (25th–75th percentile). That's 38% above the $116K US national median. Based on 189 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Business Operations Manager salary in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles Business Operations Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $120K, with a typical range of $100K–$130K (25th–75th percentile). That's 3% above the $116K US national median. 25% below San Francisco's $160K. Based on 68 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 2,020 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed August 30, 2026.

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