Engineer Level & Compensation Comparison

Software Engineer Salary and Level Comparison — Google vs Meta vs Microsoft

Understanding how software engineering levels and salaries align across major tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft is essential for any engineer planning career moves, negotiating offers, or benchmarking pay equity. Each company defines its internal levels differently — from L3 and L4 at Google to E4 and E5 at Meta or 60–65 at Microsoft — but they represent comparable bands of skill, experience, and compensation.

For example, a Software Engineer III (L4) at Google is roughly equivalent to a Software Engineer (E4) at Meta or a Software Engineer II (Level 61) at Microsoft. These levels usually correspond to engineers with 2–4 years of experience and total compensation around $180k–$250k USD depending on country and stock refresh cycles. By comparing rank and experience ranges, engineers can identify how promotions and pay progression align across employers.

Understanding Level Structures

Each company uses a numeric hierarchy to define seniority. Google’s “L” system ranges from L3 (entry) to L10 (Google Fellow). Meta uses the E prefix from E3 to E9, while Microsoft employs numbered levels from 59 through 70+. These levels map approximately as follows:

• Google L3 ≈ Meta E3 ≈ Microsoft 59 — New Grad / Entry Level
• Google L4 ≈ Meta E4 ≈ Microsoft 60–61 — Mid-Level Engineer
• Google L5 ≈ Meta E5 ≈ Microsoft 62–63 — Senior Engineer
• Google L6 ≈ Meta E6 ≈ Microsoft 64–65 — Staff Engineer
• Google L7 ≈ Meta E7 ≈ Microsoft 66–67 — Senior Staff / Principal
• Google L8+ ≈ Meta E8+ ≈ Microsoft 68+ — Director / Distinguished roles

Compensation Trends

Compensation typically includes three components — base salary, annual bonus, and equity (RSUs). For US-based engineers, equity can represent over half of total compensation at higher levels. For example, a L6 Staff Engineer at Google might have a base salary of $220k, a 15% bonus, and $250k+ in yearly stock. In contrast, the same level at Meta or Microsoft might balance the equity and base differently, but total annual pay tends to fall within a similar range.

Engineers in the UK and India see different scales, but relative progression remains consistent. UK compensation is often 70–80% of US levels, while India sees around 25–35% of US numbers — although stock refreshes at top companies increasingly narrow this gap for senior levels.

Career Growth Insights

Promotions typically follow a 2–3 year cadence at early levels, slowing to 4–6 years at Staff and above. Google emphasizes technical breadth and design impact, while Meta prioritizes execution speed and leadership. Microsoft values collaboration and architectural influence. Engineers comparing offers should assess not just title or pay but also advancement rate, scope, and stability of stock value.

For those targeting senior positions, understanding the level structure is key to aligning expectations. For example, a L7 at Google is often a senior manager or architect, while Meta’s E7 may still be an individual contributor role. These distinctions impact not only pay but career direction.

Takeaways for Job Seekers

• Always compare levels across companies before accepting an offer — a title mismatch can affect years of career growth.
• Use compensation data to negotiate effectively; reference total annualized value, not just base salary.
• Stock refreshers and equity growth can make higher-level offers exponentially more valuable over time.
• Consider work-life balance, tech stack, and culture — compensation alone does not define satisfaction or impact.

By using this Engineer Level & Compensation Dashboard, you can visualize differences clearly and make informed decisions about your career path.

Updated November 2025 — Data reflects aggregated public information and crowd-sourced compensation reports for software engineering roles.