Since I work at a startup, I’m slated to earn 17% less than my peers over the next 10 years.

Studies (link below) have indicated via meta analysis that startup employees earn on average 17% than their peers at established companies.

Why?

1. Startup Risk — Early stage startups fail at an incredible rate and have less capital to spend on salaries.
2. Job Mobility — Startup employees seldom return (or start) at established companies once they leave/are laid off from a startup, and the study suggests that it’s because startups hire generalists (aka the ‘masters of none’).

But there’s a couple alluring points to working at a startup—

1. Culture (or the lack there of)
2. Freedom (no managers peering over your shoulder)
3. Expedited experience (employees must fill multiple job roles to execute)
4. Equity (the potential for million dollar paydays at IPO is generally rare, but exciting to fight for)

Study: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/orsc.2020.1371