Microsoft employees are once again turning to crowdsourced spreadsheets to share details of their pay raises, bonuses and stock awards. A spreadsheet viewed by Business Insider has already collected more than 850 entries, giving an informal snapshot of how workers across the tech giant are compensated.
The document covers reported salaries, bonuses, and stock grants. While the data is self-submitted and incomplete, it offers a rare look at trends inside a company where pay transparency is often employee-driven. Microsoft had 2,28,000 workers as of 30 June, meaning the entries reflect only a fraction of its workforce.
The timing is crucial. Microsoft is in a fierce race to recruit top artificial intelligence talent, often competing directly with Meta. Reports suggest the company has made multimillion-dollar offers and even updated its pay guidelines this year to strengthen its hand in the talent war.
Despite heavy investment in AI hiring, Microsoft has trimmed thousands of roles this year while keeping its overall headcount flat. This reflects a strategy of shifting resources rather than expanding aggressively.
According to Business Insider’s analysis of nearly 300 software engineer submissions in the US, average base pay varies widely by group. Reported averages include $204,135 for Cloud + AI, $191,597 for Commerce + Ecosystems, and $189,285 for Security. Other divisions such as Azure, Xbox, and Microsoft AI show slightly lower averages, ranging between $168,000 and $176,000.
Because higher-paid or senior employees are less likely to contribute, the spreadsheet may understate actual compensation levels. Still, the figures reveal how base pay and stock awards continue to be key levers in Microsoft’s fight to secure and retain talent in the highly-competitive AI space.
