We use analytics and advertising cookies to understand how the site is used and whether our ads on Facebook and Instagram work. They are set only if you accept. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Home / Compensation / Google vs OpenAI
OpenAI pays about 40% more than Google for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $410K 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 40% more than Google for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $410K median total comp. Overall ranges run $175K - $1.4M at Google and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $195K | $410K | $800K | |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Software Engineer II (New Grad) | $175K - $235Kmedian $195K |
| L4Software Engineer III | $240K - $400Kmedian $285K |
| L5Senior Software Engineer | $340K - $580Kmedian $410K |
| L6Staff Software Engineer | $470K - $900Kmedian $580K |
| L7Senior Staff Software Engineer | $650K - $1.4Mmedian $800K |
| 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 18% more than Google for a mid-level Engineering Manager: $1.0M vs $840K median total comp. Overall ranges run $360K - $2.1M at Google and $580K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $430K | $840K | $1.2M | |
| OpenAI | $720K | $1.0M | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| M3Engineering Manager | $360K - $600Kmedian $430K |
| M4Senior Engineering Manager | $490K - $920Kmedian $600K |
| M5Director, Engineering | $680K - $1.4Mmedian $840K |
| M6Senior Director, Engineering | $950K - $2.1Mmedian $1.2M |
| 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 41% more than Google for a mid-level ML Engineer: $740K vs $440K median total comp. Overall ranges run $180K - $1.6M at Google and $305K - $2.8M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $205K | $440K | $900K | |
| OpenAI | $360K | $740K | $1.6M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3ML Engineer (New Grad) | $180K - $255Kmedian $205K |
| L4ML Engineer | $255K - $430Kmedian $305K |
| L5Senior ML Engineer | $365K - $640Kmedian $440K |
| L6Staff ML Engineer | $510K - $1Mmedian $640K |
| L7Senior Staff ML Engineer | $720K - $1.6Mmedian $900K |
| 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 38% more than Google for a mid-level Product Manager: $645K vs $400K median total comp. Overall ranges run $175K - $1.4M at Google and $280K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200K | $400K | $770K | |
| OpenAI | $325K | $645K | $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| APMAssociate Product Manager | $175K - $250Kmedian $200K |
| PM IProduct Manager | $230K - $380Kmedian $270K |
| Senior PMSenior Product Manager | $330K - $580Kmedian $400K |
| Staff PMStaff Product Manager | $450K - $880Kmedian $560K |
| Group PMGroup Product Manager | $620K - $1.4Mmedian $770K |
| 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 40% more than Google for a mid-level SRE / DevOps: $670K vs $405K median total comp. Overall ranges run $170K - $1.4M at Google and $285K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $190K | $405K | $780K | |
| OpenAI | $335K | $670K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Site Reliability Engineer (New Grad) | $170K - $230Kmedian $190K |
| L4Site Reliability Engineer | $235K - $395Kmedian $280K |
| L5Senior SRE | $335K - $570Kmedian $405K |
| L6Staff SRE | $460K - $880Kmedian $565K |
| L7Senior Staff SRE | $640K - $1.4Mmedian $780K |
| 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 40% more than Google for a mid-level Data Engineer: $680K vs $405K median total comp. Overall ranges run $170K - $1.4M at Google and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $190K | $405K | $780K | |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Data Engineer (New Grad) | $170K - $230Kmedian $190K |
| L4Data Engineer | $235K - $395Kmedian $280K |
| L5Senior Data Engineer | $335K - $570Kmedian $405K |
| L6Staff Data Engineer | $460K - $880Kmedian $565K |
| L7Senior Staff Data Engineer | $640K - $1.4Mmedian $780K |
| 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 41% more than Google for a mid-level Design: $580K vs $345K median total comp. Overall ranges run $145K - $1.1M at Google and $250K - $2.1M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $165K | $345K | $670K | |
| OpenAI | $290K | $580K | $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Product Designer (New Grad) | $145K - $205Kmedian $165K |
| L4Product Designer | $200K - $335Kmedian $240K |
| L5Senior Product Designer | $285K - $495Kmedian $345K |
| L6Staff Product Designer | $395K - $760Kmedian $490K |
| L7Senior Staff Product Designer | $540K - $1.1Mmedian $670K |
| 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 39% more than Google for a mid-level Security Engineer: $685K vs $420K median total comp. Overall ranges run $175K - $1.4M at Google and $295K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $195K | $420K | $810K | |
| OpenAI | $345K | $685K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| L3Security Engineer (New Grad) | $175K - $235Kmedian $195K |
| L4Security Engineer | $245K - $405Kmedian $290K |
| L5Senior Security Engineer | $350K - $590Kmedian $420K |
| L6Staff Security Engineer | $480K - $910Kmedian $590K |
| L7Senior Staff Security Engineer | $660K - $1.4Mmedian $810K |
| 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 |
Get one interview question, one comp insight, and one job-market signal each week - free.
Free forever. Unsubscribe anytime.