How Axon Enterprise Pays
B0–L13 observed and modelled bands, compensation across 21 cities in 12 countries, the nine-tranche Employee eXponential Stock Plan and CEO Performance Award, 2025 named-executive pay and the 0.3:1 pay ratio, SEC Forms 4 and FY2026 H-1B wage data.
Band Hierarchy
Axon publishes no company-wide band framework. L6–L13 are observed technical labels from Software Engineer I to Technical Fellow; B0/B1 (operations and early career) and E1 (C-suite) are report constructs that complete the ladder. The management crosswalk is modelled, not an Axon-published table.
Observed technical ladder with modelled crosswalk — B0 through L13
Disclosed executive layer above L13
Track divergence
Hierarchy qualifications and legacy structures
- Axon does not publish a company-wide “Band 1 to Band N” framework. Public technical compensation data identifies L6 through L13 with titles from Software Engineer I to Technical Fellow; current postings reveal Software Engineer I/II, Senior Software Engineer I/II, Principal Engineer, Manager, Senior Manager, Director and Vice President without a formal conversion table.
- Axon was formerly TASER International, but no public evidence was found of a legacy TASER band code that can be reconciled to current levels. Acquisitions such as Dedrone and Prepared create local title histories and may create temporary pay differences; Axon has not publicly described a formal band-harmonisation program. Status: not publicly disclosed.
- The peer-company mapping is based on title scope, not an Axon-published equivalency. Peer companies define scope differently; interview loop, reporting span, product criticality and equity practices can shift a role by one or more levels.
Peer-company mapping — heuristic only
| Axon band | Amazon-style scope | Google-style scope | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| L6 — SWE I | L4 / early-career SDE | L3 / SWE II | Title heuristic; not an official mapping. |
| L7 — SWE II | L5 SDE II | L4 SWE III | Axon L7 reported TC is consistent with a mid-level US engineer. |
| L8 — Senior SWE I | L5–L6 / Senior SDE | L5 / Senior SWE | Manager crosswalk is modelled. |
| L9 — Senior SWE II | L6–L7 / Senior–Principal | L5–L6 / Senior–Staff | Scope and equity vary substantially. |
| L10 — Staff SWE | L7 / Principal | L6 / Staff | Observed title; compensation samples remain limited. |
| L11 — Senior Staff | L8 / Senior Principal | L7 / Senior Staff | Range is modelled. |
| L12 — Distinguished | Distinguished / VP-equivalent scope | Principal / Distinguished | Not a direct corporate grade equivalence. |
| L13 — Technical Fellow | Fellow / enterprise technical leader | Fellow | Very sparse public data. |
Critical reading rule
Axon does not publish a complete enterprise-wide band architecture, a band-by-band equity grant matrix, comprehensive country salary schedules, a rating scale, a merit calendar or city headcount. L6–L13 are observed technical labels, not proof that every function uses the same levels; B0, B1 and E1 are report constructs; the management crosswalk is modelled. Modelled values must never be presented as an Axon offer, policy or promise. E1 and CEO use exact SEC disclosures converted at FX only — not local executive benchmarks.
Compensation by Band — Bangalore
Low / median / high annual values in INR at a 0.18× US factor, converted at the 25 August 2026 FX snapshot. B0–L13 are research-modelled; E1 and CEO convert exact US SEC pay and must not be read as local executive offers.
| Band | Title | Base | Variable | Total TC | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0 | Operations / Customer Support 0–3 years | ₹7.8L – ₹13.8L | 0–5% | ₹11.2L ₹8.3L – ₹14.6L | RSU/XSU |
| B1 | Early Career / Analyst / Rotational 0–3 years | ₹11.2L – ₹19.0L | 0–8% | ₹16.4L ₹12.1L – ₹21.5L | RSU/XSU |
| L6 | Software Engineer I / Engineer I 1–4 years | ₹18.1L – ₹29.3L | 3–8% | ₹26.9L ₹21.5L – ₹33.6L | RSU/XSU |
| L7 | Software Engineer II / Engineer II 3–7 years | ₹22.4L – ₹33.6L | 5–10% | ₹36.4L ₹26.7L – ₹43.9L | RSU/XSU |
| L8 | Senior Software Engineer I / Senior IC 6–10 years | ₹25.8L – ₹38.8L | 7–15% | ₹46.5L ₹36.2L – ₹58.6L | RSU/XSU |
| L9 | Senior Software Engineer II / Principal-equivalent IC 8–13 years | ₹30.2L – ₹43.9L | 10–18% | ₹56.5L ₹46.5L – ₹77.5L | RSU/XSU |
| L10 | Staff Engineer / Principal IC 10–16 years | ₹33.6L – ₹53.4L | 12–22% | ₹64.8L ₹55.1L – ₹99.1L | RSU/XSU |
| L11 | Senior Staff Engineer 13–20 years | ₹37.9L – ₹60.3L | 15–30% | ₹1.03Cr ₹77.5L – ₹1.46Cr | RSU/XSU |
| L12 | Distinguished Engineer 16–24 years | ₹43.1L – ₹73.2L | 20–40% | ₹1.72Cr ₹1.12Cr – ₹2.58Cr | RSU/XSU |
| L13 | Technical Fellow 18–28+ years | ₹51.7L – ₹94.8L | 25–50% | ₹3.27Cr ₹1.72Cr – ₹5.17Cr | RSU/XSU |
| E1 | Executive Vice President / C-suite 20–30+ years | ₹1.20Cr – ₹6.22Cr | 75–170% | ₹62.22Cr ₹45.47Cr – ₹113.62Cr | XSU/RSU |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer Founder / enterprise leader | ₹29.9L – ₹29.9L | 0% | ₹68.67Cr ₹38.3L – ₹1574.85Cr | XSU |
Total Compensation Range by Band
Total compensation in Bangalore, B0 through L13. E1 ($4.75M–$11.87M target direct) and the CEO ($40,001 SCT / $7.17M target / $164.5M grant-year) are excluded so the modelled bands stay readable; they are corporate SEC disclosures, not local benchmarks.
Global Footprint & Pay Arbitrage
Axon’s careers materials name Scottsdale, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Denver, Boston, Ho Chi Minh City, London, Amsterdam, Tampere, Sydney and Melbourne among its locations, with further hiring markets visible in postings and filings. No city headcount is disclosed; Bangalore, Auckland, Singapore and Dubai are benchmark-only markets.
Location catalogue and modelled L8 median total
| Location | Primary character | Status | Factor | L8 median TC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangalore · India | No verified significant Axon office Required by brief; not Axon-disclosed pay | Benchmark-only | 0.18× | $48.6K ₹46.5L |
| Scottsdale · United States | HQ, manufacturing, product operations Strong operations and H-1B evidence | Verified office | 0.95× | $256.5K |
| Seattle · United States | Major software and R&D hub Richest public technical-pay evidence | Verified office | 1.08× | $291.6K |
| San Francisco · United States | Product, design and customer-facing Premium US geography; office/hiring market | Verified office | 1.20× | $324.0K |
| Boston · United States | Software, product and corporate hub Multi-hub salary ranges common | Verified office | 1.10× | $297.0K |
| Atlanta / Peachtree Corners · United States | Operations and customer-facing Band ranges are modelled | Verified office | 0.95× | $256.5K |
| Tampa · United States | Field and customer-facing Office scale not separately disclosed | Hiring market | 0.90× | $243.0K |
| Sterling · United States | Counter-drone / Dedrone product hub Product and engineering hiring | Verified office | 1.02× | $275.4K |
| Sydney · Australia | APAC sales, service, customer operations Sparse Axon-specific pay evidence | Verified office | 0.68× | $183.6K A$256.8K |
| Melbourne · Australia | Operations, logistics, service and sales (Tullamarine) Sparse Axon-specific pay evidence | Verified office | 0.65× | $175.5K A$245.5K |
| London · United Kingdom | R&D, product and EMEA commercial hub Calibrated to public UK SWE reports | Verified office | 0.74× | $199.8K £146.7K |
| Daventry · United Kingdom | Operations, logistics and service Non-London operations market | Verified office | 0.60× | $162.0K £118.9K |
| Amsterdam · Netherlands | EMEA commercial and product hub Detailed pay not public | Verified office | 0.65× | $175.5K €150.6K |
| Kassel · Germany | Operations and commercial activity Values modelled | Verified office | 0.58× | $156.6K €134.4K |
| Tampere · Finland | R&D hub Values modelled | Verified office | 0.57× | $153.9K €132.1K |
| Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam | R&D and engineering hub Calibrated to L6–L8 reports; less reliable at senior levels | Verified office | 0.16× | $43.2K ₫1.1B |
| Vancouver · Canada | Engineering and customer-facing Canadian employee-reported pay supports a high factor | Hiring market | 0.90× | $243.0K C$336.3K |
| Toronto · Canada | Commercial and technical hiring Detailed Axon bands not public | Hiring market | 0.87× | $234.9K C$325.1K |
| Auckland · New Zealand | Regional benchmark No major office verified | Benchmark-only | 0.60× | $162.0K NZ$272.1K |
| Singapore · Singapore | Regional benchmark No major office verified | Benchmark-only | 0.68× | $183.6K S$233.4K |
| Dubai · United Arab Emirates | Regional benchmark No major office verified | Benchmark-only | 0.65× | $175.5K AED 644.5K |
Global pay-arbitrage multipliers: the modelled L8 (Senior SWE I / Manager) median total runs from $43.2K in Ho Chi Minh City and $48.6K in Bangalore to $324.0K in San Francisco. Factors are scenario inputs, not an Axon geographic-differential schedule.
Cross-market median total compensation (USD)
| Band | Seattle | Scottsdale | Bangalore | London | HCMC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0 | $70.2K | $61.8K | $11.7K | $48.1K | $10.4K |
| B1 | $102.6K | $90.3K | $17.1K | $70.3K | $15.2K |
| L6 | $168.5K | $148.2K | $28.1K | $115.4K | $25.0K |
| L7 | $227.9K | $200.5K | $38.0K | $156.1K | $33.8K |
| L8 | $291.6K | $256.5K | $48.6K | $199.8K | $43.2K |
| L9 | $354.2K | $311.6K | $59.0K | $242.7K | $52.5K |
| L10 | $406.1K | $357.2K | $67.7K | $278.2K | $60.2K |
| L11 | $648.0K | $570.0K | $108.0K | $444.0K | $96.0K |
| L12 | $1.1M | $950.0K | $180.0K | $740.0K | $160.0K |
| L13 | $2.1M | $1.8M | $342.0K | $1.4M | $304.0K |
Median points from the research model at the 25 August 2026 FX snapshot. Nominal comparisons, not purchasing-power parity; Bangalore is a benchmark market, not an Axon office.
Verified and observed salary anchors
| Role / level | Public pay evidence | Scope | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Support Engineer | $27.22–$43.56/hour | Current posting; ~$56.6k–$90.6k annualized before overtime/bonus | Verified — company / government |
| Leadership Development Program | $80,000 base | 2025 H-1B worksite record in Scottsdale | Observed — employee / visa |
| Software Engineer I | $106,500–$170,400 base | Current Axon posting; stock and bonus separate | Verified — company / government |
| Software Engineer II | $155k–$174k base | Common 2025 Seattle H-1B records; individual cases vary | Observed — employee / visa |
| Senior Software Engineer I | $141,000–$225,600 base; H-1B ~$180k–$188k | Current posting plus visa evidence | Verified — company / government |
| Senior Product Manager II | $141,000–$225,600 base | Current multi-hub posting | Verified — company / government |
| Senior Manager, Product Finance | $141,225–$225,960 base | Current posting | Verified — company / government |
| Principal Security Operations Engineer | $194,062–$310,500 base | Current posting; Axon states TC includes bonus and stock | Verified — company / government |
| Assistant General Counsel, M&A | ~$205k–$360k base | Public postings; geography and scope dependent | Verified — company / government |
| L6 technical total compensation | ~$156k median | Employee-reported: base ~$135k, stock ~$13.6k, bonus ~$7.2k | Observed — employee / visa |
| L7 technical total compensation | ~$211k | Employee-reported US level data | Observed — employee / visa |
| L8 technical total compensation | ~$270k | Employee-reported US level data | Observed — employee / visa |
| L9 technical total compensation | ~$328k | Employee-reported US level data | Observed — employee / visa |
| L10 technical total compensation | ~$376k | Employee-reported US level data | Observed — employee / visa |
Annual review, hike and off-cycle adjustments
Workforce review month and effective date: not publicly disclosed — no reliable company-wide schedule was found. Typical annual hike by rating: not disclosed; employee-review anecdotes mention ordinary low-single-digit increases in some teams, but that is not verified policy. Mid-year corrections and off-cycle increases: not disclosed. Named executives received no salary increases in 2025; the proxy states salaries remained consistent year over year. Lateral/internal differential: anecdotal signals suggest external hires may receive premiums, but no quantified Axon dataset was found.
Core limitations
- 1No official band architecture: L6–L13 are observed technical labels, not proof that every function uses the same levels.
- 2Location tables are a model: except for specific US postings, executive disclosures and individual visa records, Axon has not disclosed salary bands by city.
- 3Equity estimates below executives are not policy: public sources show stock as a compensation component, but not standard grant sizes by level.
- 4CEO accounting is highly path dependent: SEC grant-date accounting produces large year-to-year swings that are not ordinary annual cash compensation.
- 5H-1B wages exclude stock and bonus; aggregator filing counts use different definitions and are not directly interchangeable.
- 6Cross-rates are snapshots, not live rates; conversion is a point-in-time comparison, not purchasing-power parity.
Variable Pay & Annual Cash Incentive
Axon’s postings confirm that total compensation is base + bonus + stock, but not a universal target percentage. Only the named-executive plan is filed: a 135.9% payout for 2025 and 131.7% for 2024. The CEO receives no annual cash incentive; B0–L13 targets are modelled low / median / high rates.
| Band | Target L / M / H | Mechanism | Recent payout |
|---|---|---|---|
B0 Operations / Customer Support | 0 / 3 / 5% | Role-dependent bonus, overtime, commission or spot award; standard target not disclosed. | Not publicly disclosed |
B1 Early Career / Analyst / Rotational | 0 / 5 / 8% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L6 Software Engineer I / Engineer I | 3 / 5 / 8% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L7 Software Engineer II / Engineer II | 5 / 7 / 10% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L8 Senior Software Engineer I / Senior IC | 7 / 10 / 15% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L9 Senior Software Engineer II / Principal-equivalent IC | 10 / 12 / 18% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L10 Staff Engineer / Principal IC | 12 / 15 / 22% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L11 Senior Staff Engineer | 15 / 20 / 30% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L12 Distinguished Engineer | 20 / 25 / 40% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
L13 Technical Fellow | 25 / 30 / 50% | Estimated target bonus; sales commission and special incentives can override the general model. | Not publicly disclosed |
E1 Executive Vice President / C-suite | 75 / 125 / 170% | Company-wide annual metrics; paid after year-end (Feb/Mar 2026 for 2025). | 135.9% (2025); 131.7% (2024) |
CEO Chief Executive Officer | 0 / 0 / 0% | No annual cash incentive; performance leverage is in the CEO XSU award. | None |
2025 named-executive cash incentive scorecard
| Metric | Threshold / target / max | Actual | Weight | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.500B / $2.700B / $2.850B | $2.776B | 30% | 37.6% |
| Adjusted EBITDA margin | 24.0% / 25.0% / 26.0% | 26.8% | 25% | 37.5% |
| New market bookings | $1.000B / $1.300B / $2.500B | $1.185B | 15% | 13.6% |
| New product bookings | $600M / $750M / $1.450B | $1.476B | 15% | 30.0% |
| New product adoption | 56.0% / 59.7% / 64.7% | 61.2% | 15% | 17.3% |
| Total | 100% | 135.9% | ||
Threshold, target and maximum normally corresponded to 75%, 100% and 150% of target; the two bookings metrics could pay up to 200%. The adjusted EBITDA metric excluded newly implemented tariff impacts for incentive purposes. The 2025 NEO payout of 135.9% is a named-executive outcome and must not be extrapolated to all employees.
Named-executive 2025 payouts
| Executive | Target | Payout | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua M. Isner | $425,000 | 135.9% | $577,575 |
| Brittany Bagley | $600,000 | 135.9% | $815,400 |
| Jeffrey C. Kunins | $350,000 | 135.9% | $475,650 |
| Cameron Brooks | $600,000 | 135.9% | $885,876 |
NEO payout history
Workforce mechanics and cadence
Axon’s current postings state that total compensation comprises base pay, bonus and stock awards — confirming the components, not a universal target percentage. Unique mechanics include commission plans for sales roles, stock awards, Employee XSP participation, possible spot awards, and special arrangements such as the President’s cash salary reduced from $500,000 to $125,000 in exchange for specified business-use private air travel. Exact workforce payout cadence and project/spot bonus rules are not publicly disclosed.
Equity — RSUs, PSUs, XSUs & Performance Options
Axon describes itself as a total-compensation company: base + bonus + stock. The 2024 Employee eXponential Stock Plan makes equity broad-based and unusually performance-heavy, alongside the Amended 2022 Stock Incentive Plan, the CEO Performance Award and inducement plans. No employee stock purchase plan was identified.
Axon is a US-listed issuer, so “ESOP” in an Indian sense should be read as a broad equity / stock plan section. Disclosed instruments are service-based RSUs, performance-based RSUs/PSUs, performance stock options and eXponential Stock Units (XSUs). No current employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) was identified in the reviewed filings. RSUs and XSUs carry no exercise price and convert to shares if vesting conditions are met; Employee XSP and CEO award unit counts are the notional award value divided by the 90-day volume-weighted average share price immediately before grant. Performance stock option exercise prices are award-specific and generally tied to fair market value under plan terms.
Employee XSP and CEO award — nine-tranche schedule at 30 June 2026
| Tranche | Revenue / adj. EBITDA | Stock | Employee svc | CEO svc | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.83B / $382M | $247 | Jun 2025 | Dec 2028 | Vested exp. 31 Dec 2026 |
| 2 | $2.29B / $497M | $309 | Dec 2025 | Dec 2028 | Vested exp. 31 Dec 2027 |
| 3 | $2.87B / $611M | $387 | Jun 2026 | Dec 2029 | Vested exp. 31 Dec 2028 |
| 4 | $3.58B / $792M | $483 | Dec 2026 | Dec 2029 | Open exp. 31 Dec 2029 |
| 5 | $4.48B / $1.03B | $604 | Jun 2027 | Dec 2030 | Open exp. 31 Dec 2030 |
| 6 | $5.60B / $1.35B | $755 | Dec 2027 | Dec 2030 | Open exp. 31 Dec 2031 |
| 7 | $7.00B / $1.70B | $944 | Jun 2028 | Dec 2030 | Open exp. 31 Dec 2032 |
| 8 | $8.75B / $2.13B | $1,180 | Dec 2029 | N/A | Open exp. 31 Dec 2033 |
| 9 | $10.94B / $2.68B | $1,475 | Jun 2031 | N/A | Open exp. 31 Dec 2034 |
Each tranche requires the stock-price goal, either the revenue or adjusted-EBITDA goal, and the minimum service condition; operational goals are generally measured over the preceding four fiscal quarters. In connection with certain Q1 2026 acquisitions, operational goals were adjusted as required by award terms — the table uses the latest Q2 2026 values. Certain vested shares remain subject to a holding period until the earlier of 31 December 2030 or a subsequent tranche vesting. Tranches 8 and 9 do not apply to the CEO Performance Award.
Pool size and utilisation
Vesting cadence
- Service RSUs generally vest over one to three years; individual grant agreements control.
- Employee XSP: nine milestone tranches on the dates above — not a conventional four-year 25% annual schedule.
- CEO award: the same first seven operating and stock hurdles, but longer service requirements through 2030.
- Board RSUs: the annual grant generally vests after one year; the initial director grant vests over three years.
Annualized equity estimate by band — Bangalore
| Band | Annual equity (USD) L / H | Median in INR | Shares at $613.09 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B0 | $0.0 – $10.0K | ₹2.9L | ~0–16 |
| B1 | $3.0K – $20.0K | ₹7.7L | ~5–33 |
| L6 | $10.0K – $35.0K | ₹17.2L | ~16–57 |
| L7 | $25.0K – $80.0K | ₹43.1L | ~41–130 |
| L8 | $50.0K – $160.0K | ₹86.1L | ~82–261 |
| L9 | $90.0K – $275.0K | ₹1.34Cr | ~147–449 |
| L10 | $150.0K – $450.0K | ₹2.30Cr | ~245–734 |
| L11 | $250.0K – $750.0K | ₹4.02Cr | ~408–1,223 |
| L12 | $400.0K – $1.3M | ₹6.70Cr | ~652–2,039 |
| L13 | $750.0K – $2.3M | ₹12.92Cr | ~1,223–3,751 |
| E1 | $3.8M – $11.3M | ₹52.17Cr | ~6,117–18,464 |
| CEO | $7.1M – $7.1M | ₹68.37Cr | ~11,651–11,651 |
- B0–B1: potential broad-based eligibility through the Employee XSP and RSU programs; the exact threshold and standard size are not publicly disclosed.
- L6–L13: annualized values are estimates from total-compensation reports and Axon’s base + bonus + stock language — not a published grant matrix. Refresh cadence and new-hire grant sizes by level are not public.
- E1: $3.75M–$11.32M is the verified 2026 target-direct equity range for named executives; CEO $7.143M is the verified annual target XSU value. No NEO stock awards were granted in 2025 because prior multi-year grants covered that year.
- At the $613.09 market reference, $100,000 corresponds to about 163 shares and $1M to about 1,631 shares — an orientation only; grant-date share count, future vesting value, taxes and holding conditions differ.
Share equivalents use the $613.09 AXON reference price at the 25 August 2026 close and ignore plan valuation rules, XSU performance hurdles and holding periods.
Equity risks and structural gaps
- 1High risk / high reward: XSUs deliver substantial value only if all three conditions are satisfied.
- 2Stock-price concentration: employee wealth and retention may become strongly correlated with AXON share performance.
- 3No public band matrix: candidates cannot independently verify the normal grant size or refresh cadence for their level.
- 4Accounting volatility: stock-based compensation is very large relative to operating expenses and can obscure cash-pay comparisons.
- 5Executive grant timing: the SEC Summary Compensation Table can show near-zero stock awards in a year even when annual target value remains high because multi-year grants were recorded earlier.
Executive Compensation — FY2025
Patrick W. Smith’s 2025 Summary Compensation Table total was $40,001 — a minimum-wage-based salary, no cash bonus and no 2025 stock grant — while his 2026 annualized target direct compensation is $7.174M and the 2024 grant-year SCT recorded $164.526M for the seven-year CEO Performance Award.
Reading the package
The CEO employment agreement runs through 31 December 2030. Mr. Smith receives a minimum-wage-based salary and no annual bonus; the proxy also describes a $30M payment obligation to the company if he resigns before the end of the term under specified circumstances. The 2024 CEO Performance Award was designed as about $7M annual target × seven years × a risk multiplier of three ≈ $150M notional, converted into 679,102 XSUs. Do not compare the $40,001 2025 SCT total to normal annualized compensation without the grant-year timing caveat.
The useful comparison is not “Axon’s CEO earned $40k while peers earned millions.” A fair reading shows grant-year timing: Axon’s 2024 SCT was far above peers, while its annualized 2026 target of $7.17M sits near the lower end of the peer set.
Named Executive Officers & Board
2025 Summary Compensation Table components and 2026 annualized target direct compensation for the five named executive officers, plus the non-employee director framework. Bars show 2026 target direct compensation, which ranges from $4.75M (CRO) to $11.87M (President).
No stock awards were granted to the named executives in 2025 because prior multi-year grants were intended to cover 2025 long-term compensation — which is why the 2025 SCT stock-award column is zero while 2026 target direct compensation remains equity-heavy. No NEO received a salary increase in 2025. Grant-date accounting value is not realized value.
Board compensation — 2026 proxy
| Element | USD | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Non-employee director cash retainer | $40,000 | $10,000 per quarter |
| Annual RSU grant | ~$260,000 | One-year vest |
| New-director initial RSU | ~$260,000 | Three-year vest |
| Board chair additional cash | $20,000 | $5,000 per quarter |
| Board chair additional RSU | $20,000 | One-year vest |
| Special advisory day rate | $2,500 | $1,250 half day; no travel-day pay |
| Audit committee chair / member | $25,000 / $10,000 | Annual committee fee |
| Compensation committee chair / member | $25,000 / $7,500 | Annual committee fee |
Regional heads and other KMP
The SEC proxy discloses named executive officers but does not publish compensation for regional heads of APAC, EMEA or Americas, the General Counsel, CHRO or Company Secretary as standalone figures unless they qualify as NEOs. August 2026 Forms 4 also name Jennifer H. Mak (Chief Accounting Officer), Isaiah Fields (Chief Legal Officer) and Elizabeth Reid Coughlin (Chief Human Officer) as Employee XSP participants, but their pay is not disclosed. Status: not publicly disclosed.
Insider Trades — SEC Forms 4 and 144
August 2026 Forms 4 record large XSU acquisitions at $0 for the CEO and senior officers alongside tax-withholding settlements, a CEO Rule 10b5-1 sale and a March Form 144 notice. Values use the $613.09 market reference and are not grant-date fair value or realized cash.
| Date | Person | Transaction | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-16 | Patrick W. Smith CEO | XSU acquisition CEO Performance Award certification; acquired at $0, market reference $613.09; service/holding conditions continue | 97,015 | $0.00 | $59.5M |
| 2026-08-16 | Joshua M. Isner President | XSU acquisition Employee XSP: 67,910 regular + 14,218 supplemental; service vesting disclosed for Dec 2026 | 82,128 | $0.00 | $50.4M |
| 2026-08-13 | Joshua M. Isner President | Tax withholding Employee XSP tax settlement; not an open-market discretionary sale | 15,704.08 | $615.59 | $9.7M |
| 2026-08-16 | Brittany Bagley COO and CFO | XSU acquisition Employee XSP; market reference is not realized value | 30,560 | $0.00 | $18.7M |
| 2026-08-13 | Brittany Bagley COO and CFO | Tax withholding Employee XSP tax settlement | 8,708.157 | $615.59 | $5.4M |
| 2026-08-16 | Jeffrey C. Kunins CPO and CTO | XSU acquisition Employee XSP: 20,618 regular + 3,753 supplemental | 24,371 | $0.00 | $14.9M |
| 2026-08-13 | Jeffrey C. Kunins CPO and CTO | Tax withholding Employee XSP tax settlement | 6,232.647 | $615.59 | $3.8M |
| 2026-08-16 | Cameron Brooks Chief Revenue Officer | XSU acquisition Employee XSP; service date disclosed as Apr 2027 | 15,810 | $0.00 | $9.7M |
| 2026-08-16 | Jennifer H. Mak Chief Accounting Officer | XSU acquisition Employee XSP; award remains subject to service and holding terms | 3,906 | $0.00 | $2.4M |
| 2026-08-16 | Isaiah Fields Chief Legal Officer | XSU acquisition Employee XSP; award remains subject to service and holding terms | 10,488 | $0.00 | $6.4M |
| 2026-08-16 | Elizabeth Reid Coughlin Chief Human Officer | XSU acquisition Employee XSP; award remains subject to service and holding terms | 6,818 | $0.00 | $4.2M |
| 2026-08-07 | Patrick W. Smith CEO | Open-market sale Rule 10b5-1; aggregate of two Forms 4 — 9,930 shares at $548.771316 weighted average plus 70 at $566.6186; ~$5.489M proceeds | 10,000 | $548.90 | $5.5M |
| 2026-03-10 | Joshua M. Isner President | Form 144 notice Rule 10b5-1 / Rule 144 planned-sale notice; not proof the full sale executed at a stated price | 34,581 | — | — |
Reading guide
Benefits & Perks
Axon organises benefits around health and wellness, financial security, employee support/work flexibility and career development. The 2025 10-K confirms broad-based stock grants, performance bonuses, health and retirement benefits, paid parental/family leave, commuter benefits and unlimited PTO for eligible US exempt employees; providers, contribution percentages and coverage limits are mostly not public.
India
- All — No Axon-specific plan verified. No verified Axon PF/NPS program, leave schedule, transport/meal/insurance detail or significant office. Statutory requirements cannot be assumed to be an Axon benefit package. [not publicly disclosed]
Global
- Pillars — Four public benefit pillars. Health and wellness, financial security, employee support/work flexibility and career development. [verified]
- Total compensation — Broad-based stock grants and performance bonuses. The 2025 10-K describes stock, bonuses, health and retirement benefits, paid parental/family leave, commuter benefits, unlimited PTO for eligible US exempt employees and flexible leave for international employees. [verified]
- Learning — Internships, co-ops, early-career roles and a two-year Leadership Development Program. Career development is emphasized, but no definitive list of LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Coursera, certification reimbursement or tuition-assistance limits was found. [verified / ND]
- Flexibility — Hybrid and remote work. Axon lists remote roles and many postings specify hybrid schedules; policy is role and location dependent, not a universal entitlement. Relocation, phone/internet and home-office stipends not disclosed. [verified / ND]
Benefit fields not publicly quantified
Exact provider names, contribution percentages, insurance coverage limits, leave-day schedules and country-by-country employer contributions are often not public. Global pillars are clear, but benefit detail falls sharply outside the US: statutory baselines (12% Australian super, UK auto-enrolment, Vietnamese social insurance) should not be marketed as Axon enhancements, and no India benefit package can be assumed because no significant India office was verified.
Performance Review & Pay Progression
Axon discloses no rating scale, rating labels, review month, merit matrix, promotion tenure or probation process. Executive salaries are reviewed periodically and on promotion, with no NEO increases in 2025. The progression framework is a market-based research model, not Axon policy.
Verified policy status
| Topic | Finding | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Rating scale / labels | Not publicly disclosed | ND |
| Annual review month / effective date | Not publicly disclosed | ND |
| Merit matrix by rating | Not publicly disclosed | ND |
| Forced distribution / calibration | Employee-review signals exist, but no verified policy document was found | Observed / ND |
| Promotion minimum tenure | Not publicly disclosed | ND |
| Probation / confirmation process | Not publicly disclosed | ND |
| Executive salary review | Reviewed periodically and upon promotion/responsibility change; no NEO salary increases in 2025 | Verified — 2026 proxy |
Modelled progression framework
| Transition | Typical years | Base increase | Equity effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 → L6 | 1–3 | 8–15% | New-hire or first meaningful grant possible |
| L6 → L7 | 2–4 | 8–15% | Refresh grant often becomes more material |
| L7 → L8 | 2–4 | 10–18% | Step-up in equity and bonus target |
| L8 → L9 | 3–5 | 8–15% | Equity drives more of the total-comp increase |
| L9 → L10 | 3–5 | 8–15% | Potential large stock refresh for principal/staff scope |
| L10 → L11+ | 4–7+ | Role-specific | Most incremental value expected through equity |
These estimates are market-based and should not be used to predict an Axon promotion. Team scope, acquisition integration, internal equity, location, performance and stock-retention needs can dominate.
Lateral versus internal pay
Some employee-review anecdotes suggest externally hired employees can enter above internal promotion caps. No reliable quantitative Axon dataset was found to measure the gap by level — directional observed signal, magnitude not disclosed. Equity refresh policy is likely the main retention lever at senior levels.
H-1B / LCA Visa Footprint — United States
Public datasets show meaningful Seattle and Scottsdale hiring, but FY2026 filing counts vary materially by source because LCA, prevailing-wage and I-129 scopes differ. Counts should be named by source and measure, never averaged.
FY2026 salary distribution — base wage only
Role and worksite examples — H1BData records
| Worksite | Role | Base wage | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Software Engineer I | $137k–$142k | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | Software Engineer II | $149.3k–$174k; many at $160k–$165k | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | Senior Software Engineer I | $180k–$188k | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | Manager, Software Engineering | $192k | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | Senior Research Scientist | $237k | 2025 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Software Engineer I | $147k | 2025 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Software Engineer II | $160k–$161k | 2025 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Manufacturing Engineer II | $112.2k–$125k | 2025 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Leadership Development Program | $80k | 2025 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Senior Engineering Program Manager II | $160k | 2025 |
| San Francisco / Bay Area | Product Designer / Project Coordinator | $77.25k–$155.8k | 2024–2025 |
| San Jose / Sacramento | Senior SWE / research roles | $181k–$250k | 2023–2025 |
City-level percentile model
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $145,000 | $161,262 | $174,000 | Observed cluster; robust relative to other cities |
| Scottsdale | $105,000 | $125,000 | $160,000 | Modelled from mixed-role accessible records |
| San Francisco / Bay Area | $136,400 | $155,775 | $187,000 | Modelled across multiple Bay Area worksite cities |
| Boston | ND | $145,000 | ND | Sparse records; directional only |
| Sterling | ND | $132,500 | ND | Sparse records; directional only |
H-1B wage data is valuable for validating base-salary floors and title/location differences, especially in Seattle and Scottsdale. It should not replace total-compensation sources because Axon’s stock component can be material.
Reading the data correctly
- Filing counts should not be averaged: LCAs, prevailing-wage requests and USCIS I-129 petitions are different objects with different employer-name filters and update dates. “Approval rate” can mean DOL LCA certification or USCIS I-129 adjudication.
- H-1B wages are base wages only and exclude stock, annual bonus, sign-on and benefits — Seattle L7 total compensation can be materially above the LCA base.
- A separate aggregator can produce different medians because of period, employer-name and record-scope differences; use the raw record table for role-specific decisions.
- A candidate comparing an L7 offer should reconcile (1) base salary, (2) target cash bonus or commission, (3) annualized RSU value, (4) XSP or performance-award exposure, (5) vesting/holding terms and (6) location.
Key Nuances & Insights
Axon’s job ads explicitly state that total compensation includes base, bonus and stock. The XSP reinforces an equity-centric identity below the executive tier, even though individual grant bands are not public.
A 0.3:1 ratio reflects grant-year accounting, not a conventional CEO pay model. The prior-year $164.5M grant and the $7.17M annualized target are essential context.
L6–L13 provides a useful engineering spine, but corporate functions, sales, operations and acquired teams may use different title mechanics.
Any Bangalore figures are external market estimates. They sit behind an explicit warning and are never a verified Axon office range.
Sydney/Melbourne public roles skew toward service, sales and operations. Comparing them directly with Seattle software roles can overstate the location discount.
Employee-reported Vietnamese levels indicate a lower-cost engineering centre, but Axon does not disclose an onsite/offshore delivery model like an IT-services company.
A unit can have a large apparent market value yet remain contingent on performance, service and holding terms. Current value is not guaranteed or realized value.
The President’s cash salary reduction and the CEO’s minimum-wage-based salary make cash-pay comparisons particularly weak.
H-1B data captures base wage only. Seattle L7 total compensation can be materially above the LCA base because of stock and bonus.
LCAs, prevailing-wage requests and USCIS I-129 petitions are different objects and may use different employer-name filters and update dates.
Dedrone, Prepared and other acquisitions can introduce geographic/title differences; no public harmonisation schedule was found.
Anecdotes suggest external-hire premiums, but the magnitude is unknown. Equity refresh policy is likely the main retention lever at senior levels.
SBC expense is large enough to affect margin interpretation, employee expectations, dilution analysis and how “total compensation” should be valued.
Candidates and employees should not assume a January, April or July hike cycle from peer practices; Axon’s company-wide schedule was not disclosed.
Global pillars are clear, but country providers, coverage amounts and contribution percentages are often missing. Statutory benefits should not be marketed as Axon enhancements.
Source-use discipline
Company and government sources take priority. Salary aggregators are used to construct ranges only when Axon does not disclose the relevant information; anonymous employee reviews are low-confidence signals, not verified policy. A value marked Verified may be presented as a sourced fact with its date and scope; Observed is evidence, not policy; Research model must be visibly labelled and is useful for comparison, not offer prediction; Not publicly disclosed is stated rather than silently filled. Values labelled modelled can be regenerated by changing the city factor or the US band ranges. Research cutoff 26 August 2026.
Confidence legend
| Code | Meaning | How used |
|---|---|---|
| V — Verified | Axon filing, Axon posting or government source | May be presented as a sourced fact with its date and scope |
| O — Observed | Employee-reported salary data or visa record | Use as evidence, not policy; sample and scope limitations apply |
| M — Modelled | Analytical estimate anchored to V/O evidence | Must be visibly labelled; comparison only, not an offer prediction |
| ND — Not disclosed | No reliable public evidence located | State “Not publicly disclosed”; do not fill the gap silently |
Data quality, conflicts and unresolved fields
FX rates used — 1 USD equals, 25 Aug 2026 (RBA-derived cross-rates)
Derived from the Reserve Bank of Australia table for 25 August 2026 (A$1 = US$0.7150, ₹68.44, €0.6135, £0.5248, S$0.9090, NZ$1.2009); CAD and VND from contemporaneous references; AED at the dollar peg. Snapshots, not live rates. This page is not an employment offer, tax advice, investment advice or a statement of Axon policy.
Source register — 23 sources
| S1 | Axon 2026 Proxy Statement · 2026-04-16 · verified. Executive pay, incentive metrics, pay ratio, board pay, compensation philosophy. |
| S2 | Axon 2025 Form 10-K · FY2025 · verified. Headcount, stock plans, share availability, SBC, benefits, workforce disclosures. |
| S3 | Axon Q2 2026 Form 10-Q · 2026-06-30 · verified. Latest Employee XSP pool, nine tranches, vesting status and 2026 SBC. |
| S4 | Axon Q2 2026 results release · 2026-08-05 · verified. Revenue, margin and 2026 SBC guidance. |
| S5 | Axon Careers — locations and benefits · 2026-08-26 · verified. Official offices, benefit pillars, early-career programs. |
| S6 | Axon job board (Greenhouse) · 2026-08-26 · verified. Current US base ranges and total-compensation language. |
| S7 | Levels.fyi — Axon software engineer · 2026-08-26 · observed. Observed L6–L13 titles and reported total compensation. |
| S8 | Glassdoor — Axon salaries · 2026-08-26 · observed. Employee-reported ranges; secondary evidence only. |
| S9 | H1BData.info — Axon records · 2026-08-26 · observed. Role/worksite base-wage records. |
| S10 | H1BGrader — Axon sponsor summary · FY2026 · observed. LCA count/certification snapshot and salary percentiles. |
| S11 | MyVisaJobs — Axon Enterprise · FY2026 · observed. LCAs, prevailing-wage requests and USCIS I-129 outcomes. |
| S12 | Reserve Bank of Australia exchange rates · 2026-08-25 · market data. AUD cross-rates for USD, INR, EUR, GBP, SGD and NZD. |
| S13 | Australian Taxation Office — super guarantee · 2026 · statutory. 12% superannuation baseline. |
| S14 | Fair Work Ombudsman — National Employment Standards · 2026 · statutory. Australian statutory leave baseline. |
| S15 | UK Government — workplace pension minimums · 2026 · statutory. UK statutory pension baseline. |
| S16 | SEC EDGAR — Axon insider filings · 2026-08 · verified. Forms 4 and 144 for XSU acquisitions, tax withholding, the CEO sale and a planned-sale notice. |
| S17 | Employee XSP and CEO award approval 8-K · 2024-05-10 · verified. 2024 shareholder approvals and named-executive XSU grants. |
| S18 | Axon 2024 Form 10-K/A (restated) · FY2024 · verified. Restated 2024 headcount and initial Employee XSP grant data. |
| S19 | Axon 2024 Proxy Statement · 2024-05-10 · verified. Prior-year executive and plan history; 2024 payout 131.7%. |
| S20 | AXON market quote (Nasdaq) · 2026-08-25 · market data. $613.09 close used for market-price orientation. |
| S21 | Motorola Solutions 2026 proxy · 2026 · verified. Peer CEO SCT comparison. |
| S22 | Tyler Technologies 2026 proxy · 2026 · verified. Peer CEO SCT comparison. |
| S23 | Palantir 2026 proxy · 2026 · verified. Peer CEO SCT comparison. |
Recent News & Workforce Trend
Compensation, equity and workforce timeline from SEC filings and Axon investor releases, with the full-time headcount and stock-based compensation series.
Stock-based compensation trend
Large XSU acquisitions were disclosed for the CEO and other executives, with continuing service and holding conditions. Market-reference values are not realized proceeds.
Approximately $280M of full-year stock-based compensation is expected from the broad Employee XSP and the CEO award.
The Q2 10-Q showed Tranches 1–3 vested and disclosed Tranches 8–9 added in January 2026.
The proxy kept target-direct compensation consistent with 2025 and reported no 2025 NEO stock grants.
Approximately 1,000 (24%) full-time growth during 2025; 1,200+ temporary workers.
Included stock compensation, cash and benefits; the affected employee count was not disclosed.
Company-disclosed regrettable attrition, not total attrition.
No verified 2026 merit percentage, pay freeze, broad salary cut or annual review month was found as of the research cutoff.