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Home / Compensation / Anthropic vs OpenAI
OpenAI pays about 9% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $620K median total comp. Below is the full level-by-level breakdown for every role ladder both companies share, from public-source data.
Public-source estimates (Beta). Figures are annualized USD total compensation (base + equity + bonus).
OpenAI pays about 9% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $620K median total comp. Overall ranges run $280K - $2.2M at Anthropic and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $320K | $620K | $1.3M |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Member of Technical Staff (Junior) | $280K - $440Kmedian $320K |
| L4Member of Technical Staff | $380K - $700Kmedian $460K |
| L5Senior Member of Technical Staff | $500K - $980Kmedian $620K |
| L6Staff Member of Technical Staff | $700K - $1.4Mmedian $880K |
| L7Senior Staff Member of Technical Staff | $950K - $2.2Mmedian $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Software Engineer (Junior) | $290K - $490Kmedian $340K |
| L4Software Engineer | $400K - $770Kmedian $490K |
| L5Senior Software Engineer | $540K - $1.1Mmedian $680K |
| L6Staff Software Engineer | $760K - $1.6Mmedian $970K |
| L7Senior Staff Software Engineer | $1.1M - $2.5Mmedian $1.4M |
OpenAI pays about 9% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Engineering Manager: $1.0M vs $940K median total comp. Overall ranges run $530K - $2.4M at Anthropic and $580K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $660K | $940K | $1.3M |
| OpenAI | $720K | $1.0M | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| EMEngineering Manager | $530K - $1.0Mmedian $660K |
| Senior EMSenior Engineering Manager | $740K - $1.6Mmedian $940K |
| DirectorDirector, Engineering | $1M - $2.4Mmedian $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| EMEngineering Manager | $580K - $1.2Mmedian $720K |
| Senior EMSenior Engineering Manager | $800K - $1.7Mmedian $1.0M |
| DirectorDirector, Engineering | $1.1M - $2.5Mmedian $1.4M |
OpenAI pays about 8% more than Anthropic for a mid-level ML Engineer: $740K vs $680K median total comp. Overall ranges run $305K - $2.5M at Anthropic and $305K - $2.8M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $350K | $680K | $1.4M |
| OpenAI | $360K | $740K | $1.6M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3MTS, Research / ML (Junior) | $305K - $480Kmedian $350K |
| L4MTS, Research / ML | $410K - $770Kmedian $510K |
| L5Senior MTS, Research / ML | $540K - $1.1Mmedian $680K |
| L6Staff MTS, Research / ML | $770K - $1.6Mmedian $970K |
| L7Senior Staff MTS, Research / ML | $1.1M - $2.5Mmedian $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3ML Engineer (Junior) | $305K - $525Kmedian $360K |
| L4ML Engineer | $425K - $830Kmedian $525K |
| L5Senior ML Engineer | $580K - $1.2Mmedian $740K |
| L6Staff ML Engineer | $820K - $1.8Mmedian $1.1M |
| L7Senior Staff ML Engineer | $1.1M - $2.8Mmedian $1.6M |
OpenAI pays about 7% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Product Manager: $645K vs $600K median total comp. Overall ranges run $270K - $2.1M at Anthropic and $280K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $310K | $600K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $325K | $645K | $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Product Manager (Junior) | $270K - $425Kmedian $310K |
| L4Product Manager | $365K - $670Kmedian $445K |
| L5Senior Product Manager | $480K - $945Kmedian $600K |
| L6Staff Product Manager | $670K - $1.4Mmedian $845K |
| L7Group Product Manager | $910K - $2.1Mmedian $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Product Manager (Junior) | $280K - $470Kmedian $325K |
| L4Product Manager | $380K - $730Kmedian $465K |
| L5Senior Product Manager | $510K - $1.1Mmedian $645K |
| L6Staff Product Manager | $720K - $1.5Mmedian $920K |
| L7Group Product Manager | $1M - $2.4Mmedian $1.3M |
OpenAI pays about 8% more than Anthropic for a mid-level SRE / DevOps: $670K vs $615K median total comp. Overall ranges run $275K - $2.2M at Anthropic and $285K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $315K | $615K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $335K | $670K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3MTS, Infrastructure (Junior) | $275K - $435Kmedian $315K |
| L4MTS, Infrastructure | $375K - $690Kmedian $455K |
| L5Senior MTS, Infrastructure | $495K - $970Kmedian $615K |
| L6Staff MTS, Infrastructure | $695K - $1.4Mmedian $870K |
| L7Senior Staff MTS, Infrastructure | $945K - $2.2Mmedian $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Infrastructure Engineer (Junior) | $285K - $485Kmedian $335K |
| L4Infrastructure Engineer | $395K - $760Kmedian $485K |
| L5Senior Infrastructure Engineer | $535K - $1.1Mmedian $670K |
| L6Staff Infrastructure Engineer | $745K - $1.6Mmedian $950K |
| L7Senior Staff Infrastructure Engineer | $1.0M - $2.4Mmedian $1.4M |
OpenAI pays about 8% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Data Engineer: $680K vs $625K median total comp. Overall ranges run $280K - $2.2M at Anthropic and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $320K | $625K | $1.3M |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3MTS, Data Engineering (Junior) | $280K - $440Kmedian $320K |
| L4MTS, Data Engineering | $380K - $700Kmedian $460K |
| L5Senior MTS, Data Engineering | $500K - $980Kmedian $625K |
| L6Staff MTS, Data Engineering | $705K - $1.4Mmedian $880K |
| L7Senior Staff MTS, Data Engineering | $955K - $2.2Mmedian $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Data Engineer (Junior) | $290K - $490Kmedian $340K |
| L4Data Engineer | $400K - $770Kmedian $490K |
| L5Senior Data Engineer | $540K - $1.1Mmedian $680K |
| L6Staff Data Engineer | $760K - $1.6Mmedian $970K |
| L7Senior Staff Data Engineer | $1.0M - $2.5Mmedian $1.4M |
OpenAI pays about 7% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Design: $580K vs $540K median total comp. Overall ranges run $245K - $1.9M at Anthropic and $250K - $2.1M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $280K | $540K | $1.1M |
| OpenAI | $290K | $580K | $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Product Designer (Junior) | $245K - $385Kmedian $280K |
| L4Product Designer | $330K - $605Kmedian $400K |
| L5Senior Product Designer | $435K - $845Kmedian $540K |
| L6Staff Product Designer | $605K - $1.2Mmedian $760K |
| L7Senior Staff / Principal Product Designer | $825K - $1.9Mmedian $1.1M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Product Designer (Junior) | $250K - $415Kmedian $290K |
| L4Product Designer | $345K - $660Kmedian $425K |
| L5Senior Product Designer | $460K - $945Kmedian $580K |
| L6Staff Product Designer | $645K - $1.4Mmedian $825K |
| L7Senior Staff / Principal Product Designer | $880K - $2.1Mmedian $1.2M |
OpenAI pays about 7% more than Anthropic for a mid-level Security Engineer: $685K vs $635K median total comp. Overall ranges run $285K - $2.3M at Anthropic and $295K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | $325K | $635K | $1.3M |
| OpenAI | $345K | $685K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3MTS, Security (Junior) | $285K - $445Kmedian $325K |
| L4MTS, Security | $385K - $715Kmedian $470K |
| L5Senior MTS, Security | $510K - $1.0Mmedian $635K |
| L6Staff MTS, Security | $720K - $1.5Mmedian $900K |
| L7Senior Staff MTS, Security | $970K - $2.3Mmedian $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Security Engineer (Junior) | $295K - $495Kmedian $345K |
| L4Security Engineer | $405K - $775Kmedian $495K |
| L5Senior Security Engineer | $545K - $1.1Mmedian $685K |
| L6Staff Security Engineer | $765K - $1.6Mmedian $980K |
| L7Senior Staff Security Engineer | $1.1M - $2.5Mmedian $1.4M |
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