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Home / Compensation / Nvidia vs OpenAI
OpenAI pays about 25% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $510K 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 25% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Software Engineer: $680K vs $510K median total comp. Overall ranges run $175K - $2.4M at Nvidia and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $220K | $510K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Software Engineer (New Grad) | $175K - $350Kmedian $220K |
| IC4Software Engineer | $260K - $620Kmedian $340K |
| IC5Senior Software Engineer | $380K - $950Kmedian $510K |
| IC6Staff Software Engineer | $580K - $1.5Mmedian $800K |
| IC7Distinguished Engineer | $850K - $2.4Mmedian $1.2M |
| 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 20% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Engineering Manager: $1.0M vs $820K median total comp. Overall ranges run $410K - $2.4M at Nvidia and $580K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $540K | $820K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $720K | $1.0M | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| M4Engineering Manager | $410K - $990Kmedian $540K |
| M5Senior Engineering Manager | $600K - $1.5Mmedian $820K |
| M6Director, Engineering | $880K - $2.4Mmedian $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 28% more than Nvidia for a mid-level ML Engineer: $740K vs $530K median total comp. Overall ranges run $180K - $2.5M at Nvidia and $305K - $2.8M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $225K | $530K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $360K | $740K | $1.6M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3ML Engineer (New Grad) | $180K - $360Kmedian $225K |
| IC4ML Engineer | $270K - $640Kmedian $350K |
| IC5Senior ML Engineer | $395K - $985Kmedian $530K |
| IC6Staff ML Engineer | $605K - $1.6Mmedian $830K |
| IC7Distinguished ML Engineer | $880K - $2.5Mmedian $1.2M |
| 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 26% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Product Manager: $645K vs $480K median total comp. Overall ranges run $165K - $2.3M at Nvidia and $280K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $200K | $480K | $1.1M |
| OpenAI | $325K | $645K | $1.3M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Product Manager (New Grad) | $165K - $305Kmedian $200K |
| IC4Product Manager | $245K - $565Kmedian $320K |
| IC5Senior Product Manager | $360K - $895Kmedian $480K |
| IC6Staff Product Manager | $545K - $1.4Mmedian $750K |
| IC7Group Product Manager | $800K - $2.3Mmedian $1.1M |
| 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 27% more than Nvidia for a mid-level SRE / DevOps: $670K vs $490K median total comp. Overall ranges run $170K - $2.3M at Nvidia and $285K - $2.4M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $215K | $490K | $1.1M |
| OpenAI | $335K | $670K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Site Reliability Engineer (New Grad) | $170K - $340Kmedian $215K |
| IC4Site Reliability Engineer | $250K - $605Kmedian $330K |
| IC5Senior Site Reliability Engineer | $365K - $920Kmedian $490K |
| IC6Staff Site Reliability Engineer | $555K - $1.4Mmedian $770K |
| IC7Distinguished Site Reliability Engineer | $815K - $2.3Mmedian $1.1M |
| 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 29% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Data Engineer: $680K vs $485K median total comp. Overall ranges run $168K - $2.3M at Nvidia and $290K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $213K | $485K | $1.1M |
| OpenAI | $340K | $680K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Data Engineer (New Grad) | $168K - $338Kmedian $213K |
| IC4Data Engineer | $248K - $600Kmedian $328K |
| IC5Senior Data Engineer | $360K - $915Kmedian $485K |
| IC6Staff Data Engineer | $545K - $1.4Mmedian $760K |
| IC7Distinguished Data Engineer | $805K - $2.3Mmedian $1.1M |
| 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 27% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Design: $580K vs $425K median total comp. Overall ranges run $142K - $2.0M at Nvidia and $250K - $2.1M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $180K | $425K | $1.0M |
| OpenAI | $290K | $580K | $1.2M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Designer (New Grad) | $142K - $290Kmedian $180K |
| IC4Designer | $215K - $525Kmedian $285K |
| IC5Senior Designer | $315K - $805Kmedian $425K |
| IC6Staff Designer | $480K - $1.3Mmedian $670K |
| IC7Distinguished Designer | $705K - $2.0Mmedian $1.0M |
| 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 28% more than Nvidia for a mid-level Security Engineer: $685K vs $493K median total comp. Overall ranges run $172K - $2.3M at Nvidia and $295K - $2.5M at OpenAI across all levels.
| Company | Entry (p50) | Mid (p50) | Senior (p50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia | $218K | $493K | $1.2M |
| OpenAI | $345K | $685K | $1.4M |
| Level | Total comp (p25 - p90) |
|---|---|
| IC3Security Engineer (New Grad) | $172K - $343Kmedian $218K |
| IC4Security Engineer | $252K - $608Kmedian $333K |
| IC5Senior Security Engineer | $368K - $925Kmedian $493K |
| IC6Staff Security Engineer | $558K - $1.4Mmedian $775K |
| IC7Distinguished Security Engineer | $820K - $2.3Mmedian $1.2M |
| 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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