Meta's Paychecks: What Engineers and Researchers Really Earn

Tech giants are in a fierce battle for top talent, and Meta is no exception. The company is reportedly shelling out big bucks to attract the best engineers, researchers, and other tech professionals. But just how much are they paying? According to recent data from federal filings, software engineers at Meta can earn up to $480, 000 a year. Machine learning specialists are also in high demand, with top roles paying up to $440, 000. Even product designers and researchers can expect to make over $200, 000 annually. These figures come from H-1B visa filings, which companies must submit when hiring foreign workers. The data provides a rare glimpse into the actual pay scales of tech companies, which typically keep their compensation details under wraps. However, it's important to note that these numbers only reflect base salaries. They don't include stock options, signing bonuses, or other perks that can significantly increase total compensation packages. The competition for AI talent is heating up in Silicon Valley. Meta is reportedly offering some AI researchers compensation packages worth up to $300 million over four years. This is part of their effort to build a new Superintelligence lab. The battle for top talent isn't just happening at Meta. Thinking Machines Lab, a secretive AI startup, is paying technical staff base salaries of up to $500, 000 before even launching a product. This intense competition has even led to personal conflicts. After Meta poached seven researchers from OpenAI, including Trapit Bansal, co-creator of the company's o1 reasoning model, OpenAI's chief research officer, Mark Chen, reportedly said it felt like "someone has broken into our home. "