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IC IC2-IC6 ('Computer Scientist' ladder), manager M1-Sr Director. Public-company RSUs (ADBE) + ~10% AIP bonus. Long tenure, sane pace.
Ranges aggregated from publicly-available sources. Treat the median (p50) as roughly representative; quartile bands reflect negotiation range. Have specific data points or corrections? Send them in.
Adobe uses an ICx grade ladder with distinctive titles - 'Computer Scientist' (IC4) and 'Senior Computer Scientist' (IC5) are senior/staff-equivalent. Equity is RSUs in publicly-traded ADBE vesting over 4 years; the AIP cash bonus targets ~10% IC, 15-20% manager. Comp runs below hyperscaler bands but attrition is among the lowest in big tech. Firefly / GenAI, imaging, and video teams command top-of-band; sustaining work on legacy Creative Cloud surfaces tracks the p25-p50.
| Component | p25 | p50 | p75 | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $120K | $132K | $145K | $158K |
| Equity (annualized) | $18K | $25K | $35K | $48K |
| Bonus / sign-on amortized | $9K | $11K | $13K | $15K |
| Total comp | $147K | $168K | $193K | $221K |
Entry-level on Adobe's ICx ladder. Large new-grad intake in San Jose and Seattle; offers are standardized.
| Component | p25 | p50 | p75 | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $145K | $160K | $175K | $190K |
| Equity (annualized) | $30K | $45K | $62K | $85K |
| Bonus / sign-on amortized | $12K | $14K | $17K | $20K |
| Total comp | $187K | $219K | $254K | $295K |
Mid-level. RSUs in publicly-traded ADBE vest over 4 years; the AIP cash bonus targets ~10%.
| Component | p25 | p50 | p75 | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $172K | $188K | $205K | $222K |
| Equity (annualized) | $55K | $78K | $108K | $145K |
| Bonus / sign-on amortized | $15K | $18K | $21K | $25K |
| Total comp | $242K | $284K | $334K | $392K |
Adobe's signature 'Computer Scientist' title - senior-adjacent and the most-common external hire level. Firefly / GenAI teams see top-of-band offers.
| Component | p25 | p50 | p75 | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $195K | $212K | $230K | $250K |
| Equity (annualized) | $85K | $120K | $165K | $220K |
| Bonus / sign-on amortized | $19K | $23K | $27K | $31K |
| Total comp | $299K | $355K | $422K | $501K |
Senior/staff-equivalent IC. Comp runs below hyperscaler staff bands; tenure at Adobe is long and attrition low.
| Component | p25 | p50 | p75 | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $222K | $240K | $260K | $280K |
| Equity (annualized) | $130K | $185K | $255K | $345K |
| Bonus / sign-on amortized | $26K | $30K | $35K | $40K |
| Total comp | $378K | $455K | $550K | $665K |
Principal IC. Fellow / Distinguished sits above with bespoke offers; imaging, video, and GenAI research backgrounds pull the p90.
Cross-referenced against public reporting, state pay-transparency postings, and triangulated where source ranges disagreed. Last refresh: June 2026.
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