Business · Companies · 2 days ago
Startup salaries in Japan exceed listed-company average in hiring data
A review of hiring data in Japan found that startup salaries were higher than the average for listed companies.
The figures cover about 5,500 executives and employees who joined companies through recruiting firm For Startups between January 2020 and the end of May 2026.
Average annual pay was ¥12.17 million for C-suite executives, ¥8.67 million for managers and team leaders, and ¥7.22 million for other staff and associates.
The benchmark for about 3,700 listed companies in fiscal 2025 was ¥6.926 million.
The comparison is not exact because the data was collected under different conditions.
Startups have often been seen as offering lower salaries while relying on rewards such as stock options.
The figures suggest that pay at startups can be competitive, but they describe hires made through one recruiting firm rather than every startup worker.
Data from about 5,500 hires through a Japanese recruitment firm show average startup salaries ranging from ¥7.22 million to ¥12.17 million by seniority.
The figures cover people who joined startups from January 2020 through the end of May 2026.
Average annual pay was ¥12.17 million for CxOs, ¥8.67 million for managers and leaders, and ¥7.22 million for members and associates.
All three averages exceeded the ¥6.926 million average reported for about 3,700 listed companies in fiscal 2025, though the data sets have different conditions and may not be directly comparable.
- Who
- Startup executives and employees whose hires were introduced by Four Startups.
- What
- Their average annual salaries ranged from ¥7.22 million to ¥12.17 million across three seniority groups.
- When
- The hiring data covers January 2020 through the end of May 2026; the article was published October 9, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Toyo Keizai analyzed the data to show the actual salary levels of startup hires.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
The salary data covers about 5,500 people who joined startups through Four Startups’ recruitment introductions.
Toyo Keizai published its analysis of startup salaries by seniority.
- Data set
- About 5,500 hires
- Data period
- January 2020–end of May 2026
- CxO average salary
- ¥12.17 million
- Manager and leader average salary
- ¥8.67 million
- Member and associate average salary
- ¥7.22 million
- Listed-company benchmark
- ¥6.926 million in fiscal 2025
Sources
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