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Home / Compensation / Apple vs OpenAI
OpenAI pays about 42% more than Apple for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $395K 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 42% more than Apple for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $395K median total comp. Overall ranges run $165K - $1.4M at Apple and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $195K | $395K | $820K |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Software Engineer (New Grad) | $165K - $255Kmedian $195K |
| ICT3Software Engineer | $220K - $380Kmedian $270K |
| ICT4Senior Software Engineer | $320K - $590Kmedian $395K |
| ICT5Staff Software Engineer | $460K - $920Kmedian $580K |
| ICT6Principal / Distinguished Software Engineer | $640K - $1.4Mmedian $820K |
| 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 11% more than Apple for a mid-level Engineering Manager: $1.0M vs $920K median total comp. Overall ranges run $360K - $2.3M at Apple and $580K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $440K | $920K | $1.3M |
| OpenAI | $720K | $1.0M | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT4MEngineering Manager | $360K - $660Kmedian $440K |
| ICT5MSenior Engineering Manager | $510K - $1.0Mmedian $640K |
| ICT6MDirector, Engineering | $720K - $1.6Mmedian $920K |
| ICT7MSenior Director, Engineering | $1.0M - $2.3Mmedian $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 44% more than Apple for a mid-level ML Engineer: $740K vs $415K median total comp. Overall ranges run $170K - $1.5M at Apple and $305K - $2.8M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $200K | $415K | $855K |
| OpenAI | $360K | $740K | $1.6M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2ML Engineer (New Grad) | $170K - $260Kmedian $200K |
| ICT3ML Engineer | $230K - $400Kmedian $280K |
| ICT4Senior ML Engineer | $335K - $625Kmedian $415K |
| ICT5Staff ML Engineer | $480K - $970Kmedian $605K |
| ICT6Distinguished ML Engineer | $670K - $1.5Mmedian $855K |
| 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 41% more than Apple for a mid-level Product Manager: $645K vs $380K median total comp. Overall ranges run $160K - $1.4M at Apple and $280K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $190K | $380K | $790K |
| OpenAI | $325K | $645K | $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Product Manager (Junior) | $160K - $250Kmedian $190K |
| ICT3Product Manager | $215K - $365Kmedian $260K |
| ICT4Senior Product Manager | $305K - $565Kmedian $380K |
| ICT5Staff Product Manager | $440K - $880Kmedian $555K |
| ICT6Group Product Manager | $615K - $1.4Mmedian $790K |
| 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 42% more than Apple for a mid-level SRE / DevOps: $670K vs $390K median total comp. Overall ranges run $165K - $1.4M at Apple and $285K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $195K | $390K | $805K |
| OpenAI | $335K | $670K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Site Reliability Engineer (New Grad) | $165K - $250Kmedian $195K |
| ICT3Site Reliability Engineer | $215K - $375Kmedian $265K |
| ICT4Senior Site Reliability Engineer | $315K - $580Kmedian $390K |
| ICT5Staff Site Reliability Engineer | $450K - $905Kmedian $570K |
| ICT6Distinguished Site Reliability Engineer | $625K - $1.4Mmedian $805K |
| 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 43% more than Apple for a mid-level Data Engineer: $680K vs $390K median total comp. Overall ranges run $162K - $1.4M at Apple and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $192K | $390K | $805K |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Data Engineer (New Grad) | $162K - $247Kmedian $192K |
| ICT3Data Engineer | $215K - $375Kmedian $265K |
| ICT4Senior Data Engineer | $315K - $580Kmedian $390K |
| ICT5Staff Data Engineer | $450K - $905Kmedian $570K |
| ICT6Distinguished Data Engineer | $625K - $1.4Mmedian $805K |
| 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 37% more than Apple for a mid-level Design: $580K vs $365K median total comp. Overall ranges run $152K - $1.3M at Apple and $250K - $2.1M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $178K | $365K | $760K |
| OpenAI | $290K | $580K | $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Designer (New Grad) | $152K - $230Kmedian $178K |
| ICT3Designer | $200K - $350Kmedian $245K |
| ICT4Senior Designer | $295K - $545Kmedian $365K |
| ICT5Staff Designer | $425K - $855Kmedian $540K |
| ICT6Distinguished Designer | $590K - $1.3Mmedian $760K |
| 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 42% more than Apple for a mid-level Security Engineer: $685K vs $395K median total comp. Overall ranges run $168K - $1.4M at Apple and $295K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | $198K | $395K | $820K |
| OpenAI | $345K | $685K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| ICT2Security Engineer (New Grad) | $168K - $255Kmedian $198K |
| ICT3Security Engineer | $220K - $380Kmedian $270K |
| ICT4Senior Security Engineer | $320K - $590Kmedian $395K |
| ICT5Staff Security Engineer | $460K - $920Kmedian $580K |
| ICT6Distinguished Security Engineer | $635K - $1.4Mmedian $820K |
| 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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