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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 |
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