Are meta/fang engineers in toronto really making 500-750k a year?

[u/Last_Lab7758]

I just saw my old classmate got a job as a staff software engineer at meta, when I googled it it says the salary is 750k per year??? It just sounds unbelievable that they're making more than specialists, lawyers, etc?

[u/Legote]

You can check on levels.fyi

[u/QTpieme → u/Legote]

I got the info from levels but it doesn’t make sense. The other guys make 20-50k in stock but staff engineer suddenly makes 400k? Sounds like BS

[u/fartzilla21 → u/QTpieme]

In engineering your salary does not progress too much but your stock multiplies as you get promoted

Example ballpark figures for new grad engineer - 160k salary, 50k stock

For senior engineer - 190k salary, 200k stock

For staff engineer - 220k salary, 400k stock

[u/QTpieme → u/fartzilla21]

Is it possible the levels info is from a time where meta stock literally more than 5x in value (2021-2025) that’s what makes sense. This extreme jump doesn’t at all.

[u/fartzilla21 → u/QTpieme]

Usually those ranges are typical at offer time

If the stock goes up the engineer makes multiples of the offer, that's the whole incentive of equity

If the stock goes down, some companies say too bad and some companies offer top up "refreshers" to bring you back to the target level

It sounds like you're having trouble believing engineers at big tech get paid really well 🤷🏽‍♂️

[u/CrouchingJaguar]

Becoming a staff software engineer at meta is not an easy bar to clear, your classmate is being compensated for a rare skillset.

[u/runitzerotimes]

Not Toronto

[u/micmur]

It’s obviously highly dependent on their exact position and experience, but software engineers and IT professionals at top companies have always made more than most lawyers and doctors.

[u/unripenedfruit → u/micmur]

Yeah exactly, and they also make more than most other engineers because these companies aren't just paying for engineers, they're paying for the best engineers

It's essentially the top of an already well paid profession at companies that have massive amounts of capital pouring in

[u/Independent-Buddy988]

i mean, they are specialists in their field, and work at one of the biggest companies

[u/dabrimman]

Probably in the US yes but I doubt outside of the US Meta engineers are making that much. It would still be much higher than the local market though (think $400k~). Staff Engineer is quite senior.

[u/CatzGoesMeow]

Definitely less. Only the US pays that much. The main benefit of
getting an Australian or Canadian passport/citizenship are that it makes it easier to move to the USA on a E3 or TN visa though

[u/warspb]

500-750k CAD - Yes; 500k-750k USD No!

[u/NoMusician2574]

Around that, i was on 650k for 2 years as a senior software engineer for amazon

[u/Last_Lab7758 → u/NoMusician2574]

In toronto?

[u/NoMusician2574 → u/Last_Lab7758]

yes im an australian citizen and work remotely however. Funnily enough 90% of our work is through claude

[u/Last_Lab7758 → u/NoMusician2574]

Why would they hire australians remotely from Toronto.

[u/NoMusician2574 → u/Last_Lab7758]

less benefits, and i took a big paycut was supposed to be around 900k originally

[u/Last_Lab7758 → u/NoMusician2574]

Yeah I'm sorry it's giving BS

[u/NoMusician2574 → u/Last_Lab7758]

and if we are including stock valuations, i was making close to 3 million per year if i was to sell the stock right now. Funny enough my ex co worker went to NVIDIA and would have been making an equivelent to like 30 million a year because his stock 1000x

[u/playurpart → u/NoMusician2574]

L6 salary has never been as high as 650k

[u/NoMusician2574 → u/playurpart]

including stock. yes.