Question

Microsoft

Public (NASDAQ: MSFT)

Explore Microsoft careers in Azure cloud services, Office 365, Windows, Xbox gaming, and AI technologies. Interview tips and salary insights for tech roles.

Industry

Software & Technology

Year founded

1975

Employees

228,000

Microsoft Research Scientist Salaries

Reported total compensation ranges from $149,000 to $597,000 across 9 levels. Figures are self-reported and vary by location and offer details. Last updated Apr 6, 2026.

Average compensation by level

LevelTotal / yrBase / yrStock / yrBonus / yr
60

Research

$191,750$129,500$34,750$13,200
62

Research

$197,000$162,000$26,400
64

Research

$291,750$208,600$50,000$34,000
66

Machine Learning

$431,000$234,500$200,000
67

Research

$597,000$265,500$253,000$78,500
Principal SDE

Research

$330,250$222,000$65,000$42,000
SDE

Research

$149,000$117,000$23,000
SDE II

Research

$211,000$161,000$40,000$15,000
Senior SDE

Research

$249,545$190,500$35,000$31,400

When stock is front-loaded or uses an uneven vest (for example 33% / 33% / 22% / 12%), we still show annualized stock and bonus components so you can compare offers consistently.

Latest salary submissions

Anonymized rows for this title and employer. Expand a row for role context and compensation breakdown. Values are self-reported.

CompanyLocation · Date
TitleLevel · Focus tag
ExperienceTotal · At company
Total / yrBase · Stock · Bonus

Included titles · Software Engineer

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