AUSTIN COMPENSATION BY STAGE
| STAGE | BASE SALARY | TOTAL COMPENSATION |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | $48,000 - $65,000 | $50,000 - $70,000 |
| Stage 2 | $65,000 - $95,000 | $70,000 - $108,000 |
| Stage 3 | $95,000 - $145,000 | $108,000 - $170,000 |
| Stage 4 | $145,000 - $220,000 | $170,000 - $265,000 |
| Stage 5 | $220,000 - $360,000+ | $265,000 - $450,000+ |
PRINCIPAL TYPES ACTIVE IN THIS MARKET
Post-Liquidity Tech
TalentSmiths fastest-growing segment. Now our most active growth market.
UHNW Relocators
Northeast migration. Established principals, new infrastructure.
Founder-led
Pre and post-exit. Supply significantly behind demand.
Relocation Candidates
New York and SF EAs performing strongly in Austin market.
WHY TALENTSMITHS IN AUSTIN.
Austin is TalentSmiths' fastest-growing market, and it is growing for a specific reason: the principals who have relocated here from New York, San Francisco, and Chicago are sophisticated, demanding, and accustomed to a level of EA support that Austin's local talent pool has not yet developed. The gap between what these principals need and what the local market can provide is the widest we see in any city we operate in. TalentSmiths fills that gap by sourcing from across our entire network — not just from Austin.
The principals we work with in Austin reflect the city's rapid evolution as a wealth hub: post-liquidity tech founders who have relocated from San Francisco and are building new ventures or managing investment portfolios; UHNW individuals who have established primary residences in West Austin, Westlake, and Barton Creek; and founder-led businesses that have chosen Austin as their operational base for tax, lifestyle, and talent reasons. These principals require EAs who can operate at the same level they were accustomed to in their previous cities — and that means sourcing candidates who are willing to relocate.
What makes Austin distinctive as an EA market is the relocation dynamic. The best candidates for Austin mandates are frequently sourced from New York and San Francisco — EAs who understand the performance expectations of a demanding principal and who are attracted by Austin's quality of life, lower cost of living, and the opportunity to be an early mover in a market that is still defining itself. TalentSmiths has placed relocation candidates into Austin roles with strong results, and this cross-market capability is central to how we operate here.
Austin is a market where being early matters. The principals who are building their support infrastructure now — before the local talent pool catches up with demand — are the ones who will have the strongest EA relationships in five years. TalentSmiths is the agency that can help you build that infrastructure today, drawing on a Circle membership that spans all five markets and a track record of placing senior EAs in cities that are still finding their footing.
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