FAANG+ Software Engineer Salaries in 2026: The Complete Breakdown
Total compensation across 13 top tech companies, from entry-level to staff engineer. Base salary, equity, bonus — all in one place.
If you're preparing for software engineering interviews at top tech companies, you probably want to know what's actually on the table. Not vague ranges — real numbers broken down by company, level, and compensation component.
We compiled data from Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Blind, and verified self-reports to build the most comprehensive FAANG+ salary comparison available. This covers all 13 companies on the Apex Interviewer platform: Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, TikTok, Uber, OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, xAI, and Oracle.
At the senior level (L5/E5), total compensation ranges from roughly $300K at Oracle to over $700K at Netflix. The company you choose matters as much as your level. And the interview you'll face to get there is different at every company — which is exactly why company-specific practice matters.
Senior Level Comparison
1. The Numbers at a Glance
Here's total compensation (base + equity + bonus) across all 13 companies at the senior software engineer level — the most commonly targeted role.
| Company | Senior TC | Base | Equity/yr | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Netflix | $700K+ | $400–475K | Variable* | — |
 OpenAI | $620–730K | $210–250K | $300–400K | $50–80K |
 Meta | $450–550K | $210–240K | $170–250K | $30–55K |
 Google | $400–530K | $195–230K | $150–230K | $30–50K |
 Anthropic | $400–500K | $210–250K | $150–200K | $20–40K |
 Apple | $370–470K | $185–220K | $130–190K | $25–50K |
 xAI | $350–500K | $200–250K | $120–200K | $20–40K |
 Uber | $350–440K | $195–225K | $110–170K | $25–40K |
 TikTok | $340–430K | $180–220K | $110–160K | $30–50K |
 Amazon | $330–440K | $175–195K | $120–200K | $20–35K |
 Microsoft | $300–400K | $175–200K | $90–150K | $25–40K |
 Perplexity | $300–400K | $190–230K | $80–150K | — |
 Oracle | $280–370K | $165–195K | $70–120K | $20–35K |
*Netflix offers mostly cash with optional stock. TC ranges are approximate midpoints for US-based engineers (Bay Area / Seattle). Sources: Levels.fyi, Blind, Glassdoor, verified self-reports. Equity values reflect annualized 4-year grants.
Level Mapping
2. Understanding Levels Across Companies
Every company uses different titles and numbering systems for the same role. A Google L5 is roughly equivalent to a Meta E5, an Amazon SDE III, and an Apple ICT4 — all "senior engineer." Here's the mapping:
| Seniority | Meta | Amazon | Apple | Microsoft | Netflix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | L3 | E3 | SDE I (L4) | ICT2 | 59 | — |
| Mid | L4 | E4 | SDE II (L5) | ICT3 | 61–62 | E4 |
| Senior | L5 | E5 | SDE III (L6) | ICT4 | 63–64 | E5 |
| Staff | L6 | E6 | Principal (L7) | ICT5 | 65–66 | E6 |
| Sr. Staff | L7 | E7 | Sr. Principal (L8) | ICT6 | 67+ | E7 |
For AI-focused companies, levels tend to be flatter. OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and xAI generally use simpler structures — often just IC1 through IC4 or similar — reflecting their startup DNA. Compensation at these companies is heavily weighted toward equity, which can dramatically outperform public-company RSUs if the company's valuation grows.
Staff+ Level
3. Staff+ Compensation (L6/E6)
Staff engineer is where compensation enters a different stratosphere. The jump from senior to staff is typically 40–70% — the largest single promotion jump in the engineering ladder.
| Company | Staff TC Range | Typical YoE |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | $800K–$1M+ | 10–15+ |
| OpenAI | $750K–$950K+ | 8–12+ |
| Meta | $650K–$850K | 8–12+ |
| $600K–$800K | 8–14+ | |
| Apple | $500K–$680K | 10–15+ |
| Amazon | $500K–$700K | 8–12+ |
| Microsoft | $430K–$600K | 10–15+ |
The gap at staff level is even wider than at senior. A Netflix E6 can out-earn a Microsoft L65 by $400K+ annually. This is why the senior → staff promotion (or lateral move) is the single highest-value career move a software engineer can make.
Compensation Structure
4. How Compensation Is Structured
Not all "$400K total comp" packages are created equal. The mix of base, equity, and bonus varies dramatically by company, and the structure affects your actual take-home pay, tax efficiency, and risk exposure.
Senior Engineer (L5/E5) Compensation Breakdown
Key Structural Differences
Amazon's back-loaded RSU vesting (5/15/40/40) means you receive only 5% of your stock grant in year 1, with 40% in each of years 3 and 4. Amazon compensates with large signing bonuses in years 1 and 2 to smooth out the total comp. But if you leave before year 3, you forfeit the majority of your equity.
Netflix's cash-heavy model is unique in the industry. They pay top-of-market base salary and let you choose how much to allocate to stock options (not RSUs). There's no traditional bonus. This means higher guaranteed income but less upside from stock appreciation.
OpenAI's Profit Participation Units (PPUs) are not traditional equity. They represent a share of profits from OpenAI's capped-profit structure. The exact value depends on OpenAI's financial performance and eventual liquidity events.
Common Questions