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IT Lead

IT Lead

IT Leads at high-growth companies earn $138K–$193K. Median: $165K. Based on 51 public job postings (2025–2026).

💰 $138K–$193K salary range

Median: $165K  ·  Based on 51 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026


This IT Lead salary benchmark is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect base salary and are refreshed as new postings are collected.

📊 Salary breakdown

IT Lead salary by location

  • All locations: $165K median ($138K–$193K typical range)
  • Atlanta: $176K median, $152K–$194K range (+7% vs. national)

What's typically included

  • Health insurance: 57% of postings
  • Equity (RSU/options): 37% of postings
  • Flexible PTO: 41% of postings
  • Parental leave: 16% of postings
  • Learning/education budget: 16% of postings
  • Visa sponsorship: 2% of postings

Typical experience required: 6–10 years.

IT salaries by seniority

What does a IT Lead do?

IT Leads are IT professionals who run the systems, devices, and security the company depends on. This benchmark reflects Lead-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average IT Lead salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $165K, with a typical range of $138K–$193K, based on 51 public job postings collected in 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 51 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 July 1, 2026.

Hiring IT Leads? RFS recruiters specialize in IT placements at AI-native and high-growth startups. Talk to an RFS recruiter →

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