Google and Meta (formerly Facebook) are inclined to offer higher compensation to their software engineers compared to other Big Tech counterparts. The data, sourced from an anonymous forum for tech employees called Blind, reveals that Apple and Microsoft tend to provide relatively lower average pay for entry-level engineers. However, as engineers advance to senior positions, compensation becomes more uniform across the industry.
The study, initially noticed by The Verge, commends Google for maintaining a well-balanced and consistent pay structure within the realm of Big Tech companies. It’s rare, as the study notes, for individuals at lower job levels within Google to receive higher pay than those at higher levels. On the other hand, Meta (formerly Facebook) engineers demonstrate swift advancement and some of the highest compensation rates.
The data utilized for the study is drawn from compensation packages self-reported by Blind users from January of the previous year up to the current month. Additionally, the study unveils that Amazon’s promotional processes can be lengthier compared to its peers, and its pay ranges for engineers are wider. Microsoft, on the other hand, offers multiple job levels for software engineers, which might provide the company greater flexibility in offering promotions. However, their overall compensation remains lower compared to counterparts until the staff software engineer level.
In a recent anecdote, a Google software engineer in his 20s revealed that he works just one hour a day and earns a yearly salary of $150,000. The engineer, named Devon, shared that he begins his week by coding a significant portion of a given task before submitting it to his manager. Having previously interned at Google, he was aware that the job wouldn’t demand intense work efforts.