Microsoft, the giant software company set benchmarks for both new and old software companies. With its evolution and expansion over time, it amazed the world and always made headlines for new achievements and developments. The high-tech company recently made headlines again, this time not for new ideas, but for leaked data containing its employees’ wage structures.
A document containing Microsoft salary leaked and is circulating on the internet and causing quite a stir among tech enthusiasts about the money big techies are making at Microsoft.
Let’s look at the salary, the big tech ”Microsoft” is paying to its employees.
Microsoft Salary Structure Revealed: Employees Shared Their Compensation
Around 500 hundred employees uploaded their compensation in a spreadsheet and shared it through an unknown website. A close analysis reveals the salary structure in the organization and the compensation received by the employees for their contribution.
The data shows the pay gap between the AI team and the rest, particularly Azure. An average AI software engineer can make up to $377,611, which is $120,000 higher than the Azure division’s average compensation.
The data includes basic pay, performance-based increases, promotions, and bonuses. A comparison of the two highest-level software engineers’ pay scales, as displayed in the screenshot the report shared:
| Level | Total Comp | Base Pay | Cash Bonuses and Stock Awards | Average Raise and Bonus % |
| 68 | $862,000 | $269,000 | $593,000 | 1% and 52% |
| 69 | $1,230,000 | $290,000 | $940,000 | 1% and N/A |
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Microsoft Salary Leaked Shows the Big Tech’s Bet on AI
The average total compensation for software engineers in the new Microsoft AI organization was $377,611 at least $120,000 higher than the averages in Microsoft’s other organizations (Azure, Cloud and AI, Experiences and Devices).
The data includes the average salary, bonuses, pay raises, cash bonuses, and stock awards for software engineers in various divisions. The highest salary was found in Microsoft’s newly founded AI unit in March when the tech behemoth hired Mustafa Suleyman, a DeepMind cofounder and CEO. Suleyman’s team develops consumer AI products like Microsoft’s Copilot AI Chatbot and Bing.
| Organization | Total Comp | Base Pay | Cash and Stock | Average raise and bonus % |
| Azure | $251,464 | $174,196 | $77,268 | 6% and 16% |
| Microsoft AI | $377,611 | $192,667 | $184,944 | 5% and 19% |
Highlights & Analysis from Microsoft’s Exclusive Data
- According to the spreadsheet, the average wage for all roles in the Microsoft AI group was almost 37% higher than the organization’s average in the US.
- Those who were classified as software engineers at Microsoft AI made roughly 48% more money than those of any other software engineer throughout the United States.
- The average wage for data scientists was around 11% more than the total US average.
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Microsoft’s Tumultuous History Around Pay
Microsoft’s record of employee pay has been rife with controversy and news stories. According to a Microsoft insider poll, more than half of employees would be willing to leave positions if a better offer came from a competitor.
In 2022, Microsoft increased the salary of its employees through stock awards and wage hikes for all employees except the most senior ones. This decision was the outcome of its employees’ feeling of being underpaid in comparison to tech contemporaries, such as Amazon.
However, the pay increase was just temporary. Last year, Microsoft implemented a pay freeze and slashed its bonus and stock award budgets. Nevertheless, this year, the company resumed performance-based pay increases.
The Internet Went Gaga over Microsoft Salary Leaked
Since Microsoft’s salary leaked on the internet, it has been flooded with comments from across the world with some in disbelief at the pay gap among the employees of Microsoft. On the other hand, people are supporting fairness & transparency.
The data raised questions on the right to privacy and people argue that it creates division among team members, creating bitterness and inferiority complexes in people. Contrary to this, some are advocating transparency brings to the organization. They support this approach because it ensures that employees are compensated for their abilities and services, and promotes equity.
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Microsoft Salary Guidelines Leaked
Earlier in 2023, Microsoft pay guidelines were leaked showing that employees might receive packages worth more than $1 million as a hiring bonus, $1 million in shares, and a base salary greater than $300,000. While Microsoft’s average pay for entry-level engineers is $141,000, it may shoot up to $300,000 at the senior level. Those at level 70 have a base pay of $231,700 to $361,500, whereas those at level 52 get a base pay ranging between $42,500 to $54,600.
The leaked guidelines revealed a large gap between lower- and upper-tier salaries. Certain Microsoft employees based in high-cost-of-living cities, such as San Francisco and New York, get paid more. Individuals in ‘highly competent’ engineering professions also obtain higher remuneration packages.
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Conclusion
Conclusion about Microsoft Salary Leaked in United States, Even though the spreadsheet circulating on the internet is neither accurate nor the company’s official document, it potentially highlights a picture of the pay gap and Microsoft’s focus on AI. Microsoft’s bet on AI is nothing new or surprising as it knows the company’s future with AI.
Microsoft salary leaked on the web brings people’s attention to other sections of the company and keeps Microsoft in the light. Their colleagues get paid to focus on things with an uncertain route to profitability, which brings their morale down and makes them feel undervalued for their efforts, as a result impacting their work performance. This incident raised controversies around Microsoft’s pay gap, equity, and fairness.
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FAQs About Microsoft Salary Leaked
1) What is Microsoft level 69 salary?
Ans:- Microsoft pays $1,230,000 including basic pay of $290,000 and $940,000 of cash bonuses and stock rewards to a software engineer working at level 69.
2) What is Microsoft level 68 compensation?
Ans:- A software engineer working at level 68 earns $862,000 including base pay of $269,000 and $593,000 of cash bonuses and stock rewards in Microsoft.
3) What is the Microsoft AI software engineer’s salary?
Ans:- A Microsoft AI software engineer earns $377,611, which is substantially more than a software engineer working in Azure ($251,464).