Question

OpenAI

Private

Explore OpenAI careers in artificial intelligence research, machine learning engineering, and product development. Learn about ChatGPT creator's hiring process.

Website

openai.com

Industry

Artificial Intelligence

Year founded

2015

Employees

1,700

OpenAI Software Engineer Salaries

Reported total compensation ranges from $245,000 to $1,282,500 across 5 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
L2

Full Stack

$245,000$170,000$75,000
L3

Distributed Systems (Back-End)

$335,000$210,000$125,000
L4

API Development (Back-End)

$727,500$275,500$445,000
L5

Full Stack

$875,000$325,000$550,000
L6

ML / AI

$1,282,500$402,500$875,000

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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