Google is one of the top tech companies that play a revolutionary role in converting the world into a digital space. Behind the products developed by Google, the efforts of several techies and engineers, especially, the software developers are hidden. When compared to other companies, Google offers a highly competitive package and numerous employee benefits to software engineers. Hence, Google is considered to be one of the best places for software engineers to work. Are you curious to know about the software engineer salary in Google? If yes, then this blog is for you.
Here, we have shared full details about how much Google pays for software engineering jobs. In addition to that, we have also discussed the various employee benefits including the compensation levels for software engineers in Google. Continue reading to find out several other factors that make working for Google alluring.
Software Engineer Levels in Google
Before we get to know about the software engineer salary in Google, it is essential to understand the different software engineer levels in the company. The pay structure for Google software engineers is tier-based. Large corporations frequently employ this strategy due to their greater hierarchies. Having a scale system guarantees that all employees at similar positions within the organization will receive a comparable average compensation.
Google has ten software engineer levels. At Google, most software engineers are employed at the bottom of the hierarchy. Some former Google software engineers claim that it is very difficult to go beyond the position of Staff Software Engineer. A lack of positions may be the cause of this, meaning that only the best are promoted to senior engineer or above.
The following are the Google software engineer levels.
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SWE 1 – Level 2
Years of experience: 0-3
Typically, a Software Engineer 1(SWE 1) is a recent college graduate or someone pursuing an engineering bachelor’s degree while attending an internship at Google. These programmers must be proficient in languages such as C++, Java, or Python.
SWE 2 – Level 3
Years of experience: 0-3
This is also an entry-level job. However, many of these professionals hold a master’s degree in addition to their undergraduate degree in a computer-related subject.
SWE 3 – Level 4
Years of experience: 2+
A Ph.D. or at least two years of experience is required for employment as a Google L4 software developer.
Senior SWE – Level 5
Years of experience: 6-10
The equivalent of a Software Engineering Manager I at Google is a Senior Software Engineer. Generally, these professionals earn high salaries because they have more responsibility and are expected to provide significant results.
Staff SWE – Level 6
Years of experience: 10+
Staff software engineers are often trusted to manage their teams. Their functions are equivalent to Manager II. Typically, staff software engineers are extremely talented people who play a key role in the success of their projects. The Google Level 6 salary is much more than the previous level because of the increased responsibility.
Senior Staff SWE – Level 7
Years of experience: 10+
Senior staff software engineers are viewed as senior managers. Hence, they are held to higher standards of leadership and performance.
Principal Engineer – Level 8
Years of experience: 10+
Due to their critical involvement in the development of technical strategies, Google L8 employees earn incredibly high salaries. In addition, they manage large teams of software engineers and are beginning to participate in corporate governance.
Distinguished Engineer – Level 9
Years of experience: 10+
It is uncommon to find software engineers at this level. However, these experts have a larger part in developing technological strategies that influence important sectors.
Google Fellow – Level 10
Years of experience: 10+
This is a very prestigious level that is likely to be attained only by the best professionals in their industries. Along with the title of “Vice President,” Google Fellows are given the responsibility to manage large teams of engineers. They represent the company’s highest level of technical leadership.
Senior Google Fellow – Level 11
Years of experience: 10+
Senior Vice President is Google’s top level on the corporate ladder. Jeff Dean, the CEO of Google AI, and Sanjay Ghemawat, a research scientist in the Systems Infrastructure Group are the only two people who have reached this level.
How Much Does Google Pay for Software Engineers?
Till now, we have seen the different software engineer levels at Google. Next, let us look at the average salary that Google pays for each software engineer level, as mentioned by levels.fyi.
| Level | Total Salary | Base Salary |
| L3 | $191,474 | $142,232 |
| L4 | $281,758 | $175,646 |
| L5 | $366,408 | $210,571 |
| L6 | $518,446 | $254.074 |
| L7 | $648,796 | $284,938 |
| L8 | $1,143,200 | $326,000 |
Salary information for levels L9 through L11 was not available. Overall, the pay for Google software engineers is remarkable on all fronts. In the above table, base compensation refers to the standard or average salary. It is the starting annual salary rate that an employee receives.
Google Software Engineer Bonus and Stock Options
In addition to the base salary, on an annual basis, Google provides bonuses to software engineers, and it may vary by employee. Furthermore, Google also offers stock options. Find here, those details as specified at Levels.fyi.
| Level | Bonus | Stock |
| L3 | $10,127 | $39,116 |
| L4 | $24,376 | $81,737 |
| L5 | $28,005 | $127,529 |
| L6 | $42,550 | $221,823 |
| L7 | $71,033 | $292,825 |
| L8 | $120,200 | $697,000 |
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are awarded to Google software engineers, just like at many other Silicon Valley tech companies. These are used by the business to pay staff with company stock.
Google has a four-year vesting timeline for RSUs. Each year, 25 percent of stock is vested (roughly at a rate of 2.08 percent per month). This means employees may unlock 25 percent of their stock each year.
Occasionally, Google refers to its RSUs as GSUs or Google Stock Units. Furthermore, the RSU/GSU vesting timeline may differ based on the quantity of shares granted to an employee.
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Software Engineer Salary in Google
Usually, the salary for Google software engineers will be determined based on their amount of experience and tier. However, the pay for an entry-level Google software engineer will be less than that of an experienced software engineer. At Google, professionals can earn a high annual salary and extra compensation, as they gain more years of working experience and promotion.
For instance, a Google L3 pay would be the yearly income for a novice software engineer with minimal experience. On the other hand, a senior software engineer with 10–14 years of experience might receive a Google L6 salary. The software engineer’s level of seniority and technical proficiency determine the base pay for the year.
When it comes to pay among tech businesses, Google is undoubtedly at the top. The typical pay at lower levels is comparable to what many other companies are offering. However, Google pays its higher-level employees well.
Google Senior Software Engineer Salary
According to Glassdoor, on average, a senior software engineer at Google makes $239,340 annually. This amount includes a base salary of $154,737 plus $84,603 in bonuses and stock options.
Usually, Google offers senior software engineers a very attractive salary package. At the search giant, the average senior software engineer makes twice as much as the average senior software engineer in the US.
Google Entry-Level Software Engineer Salary
The average annual salary for an entry-level software engineer at Google is $193,902. This includes a $128,162 basic pay with bonuses of $20,860 and stock options worth $44,880.
At Google, entry-level software developers usually make much more money than they would at most other organizations. The average US entry-level software engineer makes less than half as much as an entry-level Google software engineer
Software Engineer Salary in Google Based on Location
For Google employees, the salary may vary greatly depending on their location. California, Washington, and New York are known for their strong tech industries. Hence the employees working at such locations have the highest Google salaries, according to Zippia.com. Other states where Google employees earn the most are Massachusetts, Oregon, Columbia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Colorado.
Google Software Engineer Salary Level by Gender and Ethnicity
Currently, the computer business has an unacceptably wide gender pay gap, with women earning up to 28% less than males. Unfortunately, Google is hardly an exception. Women earn less than men in most roles at Google, as they do in most other tech organizations, with the pay gap growing as women advance in positions of responsibility.
The New York Times reported that female Google employees earn 99.7 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. These conclusions are based on a spreadsheet distributed to Google workers in 2017 that included pay and bonus information.
According to Zippia.com, Google’s workforce is predominantly white (46.8 percent), followed by Asian (25.2 percent), Hispanic or Latino (14.8 percent), and Black (8.2 percent).
Benefits of Working as a Software Engineer at Google
In Google, most software engineers earn nearly 6 to 7-figure salaries. In addition to impressive salaries, Google provides employee benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and even free gourmet meals. Furthermore, the flexible scheduling options in Google make it an ideal place for many software engineers to work and maintain their work-life balance.
For software engineers, the company also offers a wide range of unique benefits. Some of these include a $500 stipend for the newborn baby and annual personal international travel to its employees and their families
Listed below are the general employee benefits offered by Google
Insurance and Wellness Benefits
It includes
- Basic vision insurance
- Basic dental insurance
- Pet insurance
- Sick Leave
- 18-24 Weeks Paternity Leave
- 24 Weeks Maternity Leave
- Paid Time Off
- 24/7 Gym facility for all employees and their families
- Free Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Transportation Benefits
Google offers the following
- Vans, shuttles, and transit hubs for regional transition from residence to office
- Private shuttle that transports employees to the Mountain View Campus from the San Francisco area every day.
- Bikes to navigate around Google headquarters and surrounding areas
Home, Financial, and Other Benefits
To their employees and their families, Google offers these benefits.
- Free laundry services
- Phone bill reimbursement
- Fertility and adoption assistance
- Surrogacy assistance
- Tuition reimbursement for employees who pursue higher education
- Mega Backdoor Roth IRA
- 401(k)
- Employee discount
- Donation match
- Pet-friendly workplace
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Conclusion
So far, in this blog, we have seen the software engineer’s salary at Google. Remember, it is not so easy to become a software engineer at Google. To get hired by Google, you must possess extraordinary technical skills, problem-solving ability, and strong knowledge of different programming languages.
