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Facebook’s mission is to bring the world closer together. Through products like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, they’ve been able to change the way we communicate. Most of us have used at least one of these services at some point, whether to talk with friends, discover events, or review our favorite restaurants.
When you’re deciding which company to work for, compensation is a big factor. You won’t have a problem paying the bills if you work at a big technology company, but your salary is still an important factor to consider. This leaves us with one big question to answer: what salary can a Facebook engineer expect to earn?
In this guide, we’re going to discuss
software engineering
yearly salaries at Facebook. We’ll explore how much software engineers earn, what benefits they are entitled to and how compensation varies depending on your salary level at Facebook.
Facebook Engineer Salary Levels
Engineers who join Facebook are assigned a level. This level is associated with their seniority within the company; the higher the level, the more responsibility you take on. Most big companies, especially in the technology industry, use a similar system. Levels ensure that everyone earns a comparable salary based on their impact on the business.
You’ll need to know these different salary levels before you can understand how much you could earn as a software engineer at Facebook. There are six software engineer job titles at Facebook, which are:
- Software Engineer Level I (E3)
- Software Engineer Level II (E4)
- Software Engineer Level III (E5)
- Software Engineer Level IV (E6)
- Software Engineer Level V (E7)
- Software Engineer Level VI (E8)
Unlike Google, every engineer at Facebook is referred to as a “software engineer”. There are no titles like “Fellow” or “Senior Engineer” that you can earn.
According to a
former engineering manager
for Facebook Photos and Videos, the salary level for engineers starts at E3. There is also a separate hierarchy for managerial positions.
Most software engineers work at lower levels of the hierarchy. This is because jobs at the top are rarer and require a more specialized set of skills. Typically, you’ll need extensive industry experience – either at Facebook or another tech company – to command a position that is higher up on the Facebook salary band structure.
How Much do Facebook Software Engineers Earn?
Your salary and compensation package as a Facebook software developer will depend on your experience and assigned level. Those who start at the entry-level will command an E3 salary, while more senior engineers will be assigned higher levels. As you are promoted, you’ll work your way through these levels.
Facebook compensates its employees fairly, to say the least. Even jobs at lower positions within the company offer excellent salaries that are comparable to those at companies like Microsoft. At the higher levels, you’ll be entitled to even more compensation. Here are the average yearly salaries you can expect to earn at Facebook, ranked by level:
Level Name |
Total |
Base |
Bonus |
Stock (/yr) |
E3 | $184,000 | $117,000 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
E4 | $243,000 | $152,000 | $18,000 | $72,000 |
E5 | $365,000 | $190,000 | $32,000 | $142,000 |
E6 | $577,000 | $224,000 | $47,000 | $306,000 |
E7 | $849,000 | $265,000 | $82,000 | $502,000 |
E8 | $1,270,000 | $298,000 | $238,000 | $738,000 |
Data points sourced from
Levels.fyi
.
This data demonstrates that all Facebook salary levels offer promising compensation packages. It’s worth noting these salaries only reflect software engineer positions. Managers and members of other departments have their own compensation levels.
In this table, “base” refers to the standard salary offered to Facebook software engineers. Bonuses are given to engineers based on their contributions to the business, so their size can vary. You’ll also earn stock options while working at Facebook.
Facebook Software Engineer Stock Options
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are issued to every Facebook software engineer, regardless of your level. This method of compensation consists of receiving company shares in exchange for your work.

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Most big technology companies, including Google and Microsoft, issue RSUs to their employees. RSUs are a good way to get employees invested in the long-term success of the business. The more valuable the company becomes, the more you’ll earn.
At Facebook, RSUs are subject to a four-year vesting schedule, meaning 25 percent of your stock vests every year for four years. This means that until you’ve been at the company for at least a year, the stock you are eligible for will not be accessible. You need to wait for your stock to vest before you can sell it.

Benefits of Working at Facebook
Salaries, bonuses, and stocks are not the only forms of compensation Facebook offers their employees. You’ll also be entitled to a range of different benefits as a Facebook software engineer.
Facebook is known for having a few stand-out benefits that you are unlikely to receive at other big technology companies. For example, working at Facebook gives you access to an on-site spa and barbershop. You’ll also have access to a doctor, dentist, and optometrist at the company’s premises. The Facebook main campus also has a rooftop nature park to work in.
Let’s also break down the other standard benefits you will receive as a Facebook software engineer:
Insurance and Wellness Benefits
Benefit |
Description |
Dental and Vision Insurance | |
Health Insurance | Employees are fully covered, family insurance is highly subsidized. |
Free Meals | Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner five days a week. Free snacks are also available. |
Paid Time Off | 21 days of paid time off each year. Every five years, employees are given 30 days off to recharge. |
Sick Time | Unlimited |
Paternity Leave | Four months |
Gym and Wellness Reimbursement | $720 per year |
Maternity Leave | Four Months |
On-Site Mother’s Room |
Home, Financial, and Other Benefits
Benefit |
Description |
On-Site Laundry | |
Company Phone | |
Egg Freezing | |
Newborn Bonus | $4,000 bonus given to a parent for each newly born child. |
Mega Backdoor Roth IRA | |
Child Care Reimbursement | Up to $3,000 of child care reimbursed. |
Family Sickness Leave | Up to 6 weeks of paid family leave to take care of a seriously ill family member. |
Company Shutte | |
Housing Stipend | |
401(k) | 50 percent match on the first 7 percent of base salary. |
Facebook vs Other Technology Companies
It’s not easy to evaluate a compensation offer in isolation. It’s important to know what other companies are paying so you can determine whether to accept your compensation offer.
The below table provides comparisons between the compensation received by Facebook engineers and Amazon and Google engineers:
Comparison |
Level |
|
Comparison Company |
Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Entry-level | $184,000 | $151,000 |
Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Second level | $243,000 | $207,000 |
Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Third level | $365,000 | $305,000 |
Facebook vs Google Salary | Entry-level | $184,000 | $181,000 |
Facebook vs Google Salary | Second level | $243,000 | $258,000 |
Facebook vs Google Salary | Third level | $365,000 | $346,000 |
Conclusion
Facebook envisions a world where people can easily stay connected with their friends and family. Being able to work toward a meaningful goal is not the only benefit you’ll enjoy by working at Facebook as a software engineer.
Facebook software engineers also command impressive salaries; entry-level employees alone earn an average salary of $184,000 per year. As if that was not enough, you’ll also receive benefits such as a 401(k), access to free snacks and meals, and more. If you’re thinking about going to work for a big tech company, Facebook is definitely one you should consider.
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James Gallagher
#Facebook #Software #Engineering #Salaries #Benefits