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Leaked spreadsheet reveals Microsoft's internal pay bands across job levels

read original get Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell → more articles
GoKawiil Brief

A leaked spreadsheet obtained by Business Insider compiled self-reported salary data from about 600 Microsoft employees, revealing wide pay ranges by job level. Entry-level engineers reported base pay between $111,000 and $155,500, while senior levels reached up to $245,000 in base salary, and principal or director roles topped out around $280,000 with bonuses as high as $110,000.

Why It Matters

GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.

The leak offers a rare, if partial, glimpse into how one of the world's most valuable tech companies structures compensation across its notoriously opaque leveling system. It also highlights the growing gap between big tech pay and the broader US median income, fueling ongoing debate over wage disparities in the industry.

Key Takeaways
Worth a Look

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Source: futurism.com — Joe Wilkins, 2026-08-26

Published there as: “Huge Leak Shows Microsoft Salaries That’ll Make You Jump Out the Window”

Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.