Landing a job at Google is a dream for many software engineers. However, the interview process filters in only 2% of engineers who apply, making it extremely hard to make the cut. To get into Google, what’s fundamentally needed is a foolproof prep strategy that is both smart and exhaustive. As for the salaries for engineering roles, Google is known to pay much higher compensations for developers and related roles when compared to other tier-1 companies.
Google software engineer salaries often overshoot the six-figure mark and come with a wide array of perks and benefits. Employees are also offered Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that come with a 4-year vesting period. That said, you can be rest assured that landing a job at Google will help you live a comfortable lifestyle as your compensation will allow you to do a lot of things.
In this article, we'll take a peek into the salaries of Engineering Managers at Google. This will give you a fair idea of the compensation ranges if you’re applying for Engineering Manager roles at Google, allowing you to renegotiate your offer and push it even higher.
We’ll also take a quick look at the software engineer levels at Google to help you understand the different levels.
What we’ll cover in this article:
- Software Engineer Levels at Google
- Google Software Engineer Salaries
- Salaries Specific to Engineering Managers
- Stock Options Offered to Google Employees
- Other Compensation-related Benefits
- Google vs. other companies - a salary comparison
- Gear up for your next technical interview with Google
Software Engineer Levels at Google
Based on the level of seniority, Google places software engineers under different levels. The roles and responsibilities are starkly different at different levels:
- Software Engineer II (L3 | 0-1 year of experience)
- Software Engineer III (L4 | 2+ years of experience)
- Senior Software Engineer (L5 | Engineering Manager I equivalent)
- Staff Software Engineer (L6 | Engineering Manager II equivalent)
- Senior Staff Software Engineer (L7 | Senior Engineering Manager)
- Principal Engineer (L8 | Director)
- Distinguished Engineer (L9 | Senior Director)
- Google Fellow (L10 | Vice President)
- Senior Google Fellow (L11 | Senior Vice President)
An important point to note is that most engineers who work at Google are between L3 and L6. There are more engineers at the lower levels than at the higher levels. Moreover, if you were at L5 in your previous company and applied at Google, you’re most likely to be designated at L4, while your designation may remain the same. Google often follows this procedure for new hires.
Getting past the Senior Staff Engineer Level will take several years of excellence at Google, with most engineers not making it past L7. As for L8 and L9, only the best of the best pretty much make it.
Related read: Check out these Google Interview Questions to get started with your interview prep.
Google Software Engineer Salaries
Salaries for any position at Google will depend on the tier level and the level of experience. To give you context, an L4 engineer with 5 years of experience will draw a higher salary than a peer at L4 with 3 years of experience.
Let’s take a look at the salaries for Software Engineers at Google.
Related read: Google Interview Guide
Salary Ranges Specific to Engineering Managers
At Google, engineers at L5, L6, and L7 are designated as Engineering Managers. The role of Engineering Managers is to oversee large-scale and highly technical projects and ensure they’re completed. They are responsible for directing resources, planning, and executing engineering projects. There are several teams at Google, with each team having a few Engineering Managers.
The offer you receive from companies like Google also heavily depends on how well you negotiate. To hone your salary negotiation skills, read The Ultimate Guide to Salary Negotiation at FAANG for Software Engineers.
Stock Options Offered to Engineering Managers
Google offers its Engineering Managers lucrative stock options in addition to the regular compensation. EMs are offered Restricted Stock Units, commonly known as Google Stock Units, that have a vested period of 4 years. Vesting periods can vary depending on the number of shares received. For more senior positions, vesting periods can sometimes overshoot the 4-year mark.
Ideally, over four years:
- 33% of the GSU vests in the first year
- Another 33% in the second year
- 22% in the third year
- The remaining in the fourth year
Other Compensation-related Benefits
In addition to the attractive packages and stock options, Google also offers a bunch of perks. Here are some of the benefits you can expect:
- Wellness and Insurance: Includes free breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the on-site, unlimited sick days, paternity and maternity benefits, and paid leaves up to 25 days for senior roles.
- Transportation benefits: Includes travel to and from the campus, as well as within the on-site facility.
- Financial benefits: Includes stock options, 401k, surrogacy assistance (up to $40,000), and employee discount on Google products.
Google vs. Other Technology Companies
We’re already aware that Google offers much higher compensation for the same roles when compared to other FAANG and tier-1 companies. To give you some perspective, we’ve compared the salaries of Google engineers with Amazon and Microsoft engineers at the same level:
As you can see, the difference is quite considerable, which is why Google is one of the most sought-after companies for software engineers.
Get Ready for Your Next Google Interview
Cracking the Google interview requires a solid prep strategy. To nail tech interviews at big tech companies, you need to understand what these companies look for in engineers.
Interview Kickstart offers comprehensive technical interview training programs that prepare you for interviews at the biggest companies, including Google. Don’t take our word for it — here’s what our alums say:
“I joined Interview Kickstart after going through many interviews that didn’t work out and couldn’t find the root cause. I got an offer from Google after completing the program.”
— Strong Liang, Engineering Manager, Google
“If you are looking for more than just a Bootcamp to improve your algorithmic or interview skills, I would wholeheartedly suggest Interview Kickstart.” — Rupesh Dabbir, Software Engineer, Google
“This program was really well put together. It is what a lot of people in the industry need to use to maintain and refresh their skills.” — Jaime Lichauco, Database Engineer, Google
Crack Your Next Engineering Manager Interview
If you need help with your prep, join Interview Kickstart’s Engineering Manager Interview Course — the first-of-its-kind, role-specific tech interview prep program designed and taught by FAANG+ instructors.
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