Microsoft Employee Salaries: From Entry-Level to Distinguished Engineers

Compensation Insights: Microsoft’s Employee Pay Structure

For many professionals, landing a position at one of the major technology firms—often referred to as Big Tech—is considered a pinnacle of career success. These roles not only provide employees with the opportunity to develop applications and services benefiting millions globally, but they also come with lucrative compensation packages that typically surpass those offered in other sectors.

However, the recent landscape has been marked by significant layoffs in the tech industry. Despite this turbulence, employees at Big Tech firms like Microsoft continue to enjoy salaries that remain significantly higher than those in many other industries.

In a recent report by Business Insider, insights into Microsoft’s pay structure were unveiled, providing a detailed look at compensation across various job levels within the company. This document outlines the salary ranges alongside additional compensation, illuminating how Microsoft compensates its workforce from entry-level positions to its most senior engineers.

Understanding Microsoft’s Compensation Framework

Microsoft categorizes its employees into levels to streamline salary determination and benefits allocation. Each level offers a specific salary range, and the overall compensation includes factors such as stock awards, signing bonuses, and annual bonuses.

Level-Based Salary Breakdown

Below is a comprehensive overview of Microsoft’s salary ranges for different employee levels:

Entry-Level Engineers (Levels 57-59)
Senior Engineers (Level 63)
Principal-Level Engineers (Level 65)
Partners (Level 68)
Distinguished Engineers (Level 70)

Detailed Salary Information

Here’s a closer look at the compensation packages across various Microsoft levels:

Level 57

High Salary Range: $95, 800 – $124, 600
Main Salary Range: $83, 000 – $108, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $5, 000 – $13, 000
Annual Stock Award: Varies by Career Stage
Signing Bonus: $0 – $9, 000
Annual Bonus: N/A

Level 58

Main Salary Range: $94, 100 – $122, 300
High Salary Range: $105, 900 – $137, 700
On-hire Stock Award: $6, 000 – $20, 000
Annual Stock Award: Varies by Career Stage
Signing Bonus: $0 – $18, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-20%

Level 59

Main Salary Range: $101, 400 – $152, 000
High Salary Range: $109, 000 – $163, 600
On-hire Stock Award: $15, 000 – $120, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $20, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $18, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-20%

Level 60

Main Salary Range: $110, 200 – $165, 200
High Salary Range: $120, 200 – $180, 400
On-hire Stock Award: $20, 000 – $130, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $24, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $27, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-20%

Level 61

Main Salary Range: $123, 200 – $184, 800
High Salary Range: $131, 400 – $197, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $30, 000 – $150, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $36, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $36, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-20%

Level 62

Main Salary Range: $132, 600 – $199, 000
High Salary Range: $143, 600 – $215, 400
On-hire Stock Award: $40, 000 – $170, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $44, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $45, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-20%

Level 63

Main Salary Range: $145, 000 – $218, 400
High Salary Range: $158, 400 – $237, 600
On-hire Stock Award: $55, 000 – $220, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $64, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $45, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-30%

Level 64

Main Salary Range: $156, 500 – $234, 700
High Salary Range: $172, 000 – $258, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $70, 000 – $270, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $80, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $54, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-30%

Level 65

Main Salary Range: $172, 800 – $259, 200
High Salary Range: $188, 000 – $282, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $100, 000 – $320, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $130, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $90, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-40%

Level 66

Main Salary Range: $183, 200 – $274, 800
High Salary Range: $202, 800 – $304, 200
On-hire Stock Award: $180, 000 – $640, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $200, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $126, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-40%

Level 67

Main Salary Range: $197, 800 – $296, 400
High Salary Range: $220, 800 – $331, 200
On-hire Stock Award: $380, 000 – $850, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $420, 000
Signing Bonus: $0 – $180, 000
Annual Bonus: 0-60%

Level 68

Main Salary Range: $212, 800 – $319, 200
High Salary Range: $236, 000 – $354, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $500, 000 – $1, 150, 000
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $754, 000
Signing Bonus: Not listed
Annual Bonus: 0-90%

Level 69

Main Salary Range: $225, 600 – $338, 400
High Salary Range: $247, 000 – $370, 800
On-hire Stock Award: $657, 000 – $1.35 million
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $1, 150, 000
Signing Bonus: Not listed
Annual Bonus: 0-90%

Level 70

Main Salary Range: $252, 000 – $378, 000
High Salary Range: $272, 000 – $408, 000
On-hire Stock Award: $827, 001 – $1.9 million
Annual Stock Award: $0 – $1, 476, 000
Signing Bonus: Not listed
Annual Bonus: 0-90%

It is important to note that compensation may vary based on geographic location. For instance, employees based in San Francisco typically receive a ‘high’ pay range, while those located at Microsoft’s headquarters in Washington generally fall under the ‘main’ pay range.

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