June 2026 data
Backend startup salary data
As of June 2026, the median Backend salary at startups is $150k across 8 verified Hacker News “Who is Hiring” listings.
Based on 8 verified Backend listings from Hacker News “Who is Hiring”. Sample size is shown so you know how much weight to give the number.
Market Signal (September 2026)
Top Hirers: Caplight leads hiring for Backend roles with 1 active posts, followed by ChipStack.
🌍 Location & Remote Dynamics
SF Centric: Backend roles are concentrated in the SF Bay Area (38% of listings), often paying a location premium. Onsite Premium: Onsite Backend roles offer a 25% higher median salary ($175,000) than remote alternatives.
💡 Tech Stack Context
Common Stack: 25% of Backend jobs also require Full Stack, and 25% mention Artificial Intelligence.
💰 Compensation Analysis
The median base salary for Backend developers is $150,000, with top-tier roles (P75) reaching $200,000.
Backend jobs
| COMPANY | ROLE | SALARY | VIBE | STACK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caplight | Backend/Fullstack Engineer | $225,000 - $350,000 |
[F] grind
|
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| ChipStack | Senior Software Engineer | $200,000 + |
[F] grind
|
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| Neon Health | Senior Backend Engineer | $175,000 - $225,000 |
[F] CRUNCH
|
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| Ohr | Founding AI Infrastructure Engineer | $150,000 - $220,000 |
[F] zen
|
||
| Falconer | Founding Backend Engineer | $150,000 - $250,000 |
[E] grind
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| Icario Health | Sr. Software Engineer | $140,900 - $157,600 |
[E] stable
|
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| Apsis Labs | Staff Frontend Engineer | $132,000 - $132,000 |
[E] zen
|
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| Defense Digital Service | Engineer | $123,041 - $191,900 |
[E] grind
|