VP People / Head of HR

💰 $171K–$233K salary range

Median: $201K  ·  Based on 197 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026

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Leading human resources functions at high-growth companies requires a strategic partner capable of building and scaling high-performing technical teams. This leadership position shapes the talent strategy and people operations, driving innovation in an AI-first environment. Compensation for this role typically ranges from $208K to $253K, with a median of $223K, derived from 48 recent job postings. Top earners demonstrate strong capabilities in leveraging people analytics for predictive workforce insights, specifically integrating AI/ML tools for talent management. Expertise in specialized talent acquisition for AI/ML engineers and data scientists, coupled with a deep understanding of algorithmic fairness and ethics in HR processes, are critical skills that command higher salaries within this competitive landscape.

📊 Salary breakdown

VP People / Head of HR salary by location

• All locations: $201K median ($171K–$233K typical range)
• New York: $209K median, $170K–$238K range (+4% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $215K median, $200K–$275K range (+7% vs. national)
• Chicago: $213K median, $205K–$233K range (+6% vs. national)
• Boston: $194K median, $155K–$228K range (-4% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $180K median, $162K–$194K range (-10% vs. national)
• Seattle: $208K median, $187K–$213K range (+3% vs. national)
• Remote: $248K median, $235K–$254K range (+23% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Notion: $275K median

New York

• City of New York: $109K median

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

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 72% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 73% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 50% of postings
• Parental leave: 20% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 17% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 3% of postings

Typical experience required: 9–11 years.

People salaries by seniority

• Technical Sourcer: $93K
• Technical Recruiter: $115K
• Recruiting Manager: $130K
• Senior Technical Recruiter: $149K
• Talent Lead: $164K
• Head of Talent Acquisition: $174K
• VP People / Head of HR: $201K

What does a VP People / Head of HR do?

VP People / Head of HRs are HR, recruiting, and people operations professionals who hire and grow teams. This benchmark reflects Director-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average VP People / Head of HR salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $201K, with a typical range of $171K–$233K, based on 197 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does VP People / Head of HR pay compare in San Francisco vs. remote?
San Francisco roles pay a median of $215K, while fully-remote roles pay $248K.

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 197 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.

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