Senior Counsel

💰 $151K–$247K salary range

Median: $203K  ·  Based on 371 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 2026

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Legal professionals supporting high-growth companies navigate complex, evolving landscapes. Senior Counsels are critical in guiding product development, data strategies, and commercial agreements to ensure ethical AI deployment, regulatory compliance, and robust intellectual property protection for cutting-edge models and algorithms. Compensation for this pivotal role typically ranges from $180,000 to $265,000, with a median salary of $230,000, derived from an analysis of 97 recent job postings. Top remuneration is often secured by candidates demonstrating deep expertise in global AI regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU AI Act, state-level privacy laws), AI-specific data governance, and sophisticated IP strategies for generative AI models. Their ability to translate intricate legal requirements into actionable business guidance is highly valued.

📊 Salary breakdown

Senior Counsel salary by location

• All locations: $203K median ($151K–$247K typical range)
• San Francisco: $246K median, $178K–$278K range (+21% vs. national)
• New York: $215K median, $173K–$250K range (+6% vs. national)
• Boston: $250K median, $169K–$280K range (+23% vs. national)
• Chicago: $135K median, $91K–$172K range (-33% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $161K median, $115K–$240K range (-20% vs. national)
• Denver: $163K median, $120K–$168K range (-20% vs. national)
• Atlanta: $164K median, $114K–$193K range (-19% vs. national)
• Austin: $140K median, $111K–$177K range (-31% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• OpenAI: $314K median
• Kardigan: $310K median
• Airwallex: $213K median

New York

• Mesh Security: $265K median
• Airwallex: $233K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 70% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 69% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 58% of postings
• Parental leave: 30% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 15% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 1% of postings

Typical experience required: 7–10 years.

Legal salaries by seniority

• Legal Operations Manager: $140K
• Corporate Counsel: $171K
• Associate General Counsel: $173K
• Legal Analyst: $201K
• Senior Counsel: $203K
• Senior Legal Counsel: $208K
• General Counsel: $230K

What does a Senior Counsel do?

Senior Counsels are legal and compliance professionals who manage risk, contracts, and regulation. This benchmark reflects Senior-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2025) show a median of $147K for Senior Counsel roles, ranging $122K–$188K, across 119 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Senior Counsel salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $203K, with a typical range of $151K–$247K, based on 371 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 371 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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