For many people in the tech industry, working as a software engineer at a top tech company is a dream. One of the most sought-after employers is none other than Meta, formerly known as Facebook. This company is known for providing an innovative workplace full of extra perks, but that is not all they offer. In this article, we will report on the typical Facebook software engineer salary.
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 component to consider. This leaves us with one big question to answer: what is the typical software engineer at Facebook salary?
In this guide, we’re going to discuss software engineering 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. We will also include an overview of Facebook’s entry-level software engineer salaries as well as Facebook’s senior software engineer salaries.
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 Facebook salary levels before you can understand how much you could earn as a software engineer at Facebook. There are six Facebook software engineer levels, 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 Facebook 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 levels structure.
Facebook Software Engineer Salary: How Much Do Meta Software Engineers Earn?
Your Facebook software engineer salary and compensation package 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 Facebook salary 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 an ever higher Facebook software engineer salary. Here are the average yearly salaries you can expect to earn at Facebook, ranked by level:
| Level Name | Total | Base | Bonus | Stock (/yr) |
| E3 | $185,000 | $123,000 | $21,000 | $42,000 |
| E4 | $267,000 | $164,000 | $22,000 | $81,000 |
| E5 | $387,000 | $197,000 | $34,000 | $155,000 |
| E6 | $572,000 | $231,000 | $49,000 | $293,000 |
| E7 | $920,000 | $273,000 | $74,000 | $537,000 |
| E8 | $1,610,000 | $316,000 | $86,000 | $1,210,000 |
Data points sourced from Levels.fyi.
This data demonstrates that all Facebook software engineer 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 Facebook software engineer salary. 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 that enhance your baseline salary.
Facebook Entry-Level Software Engineer Salary
As a Level E3 employee, you will have the lowest Facebook software engineer salary because you have the lowest experience level. However, the Facebook entry-level software engineer salary still starts out at $123,000 per year. With this, you will still enjoy stock options and bonuses. So, even Facebook’s lowest salary for software engineers is still quite lucrative.
Even by moving up just one level to E4, your base salary increases by $40,000 to a total of $164,000. In addition to a higher average salary range, you will also enjoy greater stock options. Thankfully, there are many opportunities for advancement within Facebook. E4s can get all of this even though they are still considered one of Facebook’s entry-level software engineers.
Meta Senior-Level Software Engineer Salary
Similarly to entry-level positions, there are also various tiers when it comes to a Facebook senior software engineer salary. However, one of the highest Facebook software engineer salaries is reserved for an E8-level engineer. An E8 engineer at Facebook has a base salary of $316,000.
This is the highest level that Facebook software engineers can reach before they move into managerial positions. As with other engineers, senior software engineers also receive lucrative bonuses and stock options in addition to their annual salary.
Responsibilities of a Software Engineer at Meta
The responsibilities of software engineers at Facebook can vary widely, depending on what project you are working on. However, there are common themes among all Facebook software engineer job descriptions. Learn more about the core responsibilities of software engineers at Facebook below.
- Identify new and innovative ideas. One of the key responsibilities of software engineers at Facebook is innovating new technology. Facebook aims to be a leader in technology, and that means continually staying ahead of the game.
- Provide technical guidance to team members. Part of the Facebook software engineer job description is explaining technical topics to team members without programming knowledge. Tech companies, like Facebook, need to make sure that everyone on their team is on the same page and understands the services and products they offer.
- Analyze and improve current systems and services. Depending on the department you work in, you may also be tasked with revamping current products. This is crucial for making sure that Facebook’s services are efficient and also that they stay relevant.
- Monitor and adapt to industry trends. The tech industry can pivot quickly. As such, one of the responsibilities of software engineers at Facebook is to make sure they are in line with current consumer and competitor trends.
- Code complex projects. A key responsibility of software engineers at Facebook is coding. With that, Facebook software engineers should be able to work on complex coding projects and should be well-versed in a variety of languages and technologies.
Benefits of Working at Facebook
Salaries, bonuses, and stocks are not the only forms of compensation Facebook offers its employees. You’ll also be entitled to a range of different Facebook software engineer benefits.
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. Other Facebook perks include 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.
In addition to the above, there are several other job benefits for Facebook software engineers. Let’s also break down the other standard Facebook software engineer benefits you will receive.
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.
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. With the Facebook software engineer stock options, 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 Facebook software engineer stock options to vest before you can sell them.
Insurance and Wellness Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
| Dental and Vision Insurance | Both dental and vision are covered. |
| Health Insurance | Employees are fully covered, family insurance is highly subsidized, and employees get 25 Lyra sessions for mental health. |
| 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 | $3,000 per year |
| Maternity Leave | Four Months |
| On-Site Mother’s Room | Yes |
Home, Financial, and Other Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
| On-Site Laundry | Free laundry and dry cleaning. |
| Company Phone | Yes |
| Egg Freezing | Yes |
| Newborn Bonus | $4,000 bonus for each newborn child. |
| Mega Backdoor Roth IRA | Offers up to $28,350 per year after tax. |
| 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 | Yes |
| Housing Stipend | No |
| 401(k) | 100% match on up to $10,250. |
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. This table provides comparisons between the compensation received by Facebook engineers and Amazon and Google engineers. Take a look at the Facebook vs Google software engineer salaries below.
| Comparison | Level | Comparison Company | |
| Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Entry-level | $185,432 | $169,627 |
| Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Second level | $266,933 | $238,212 |
| Facebook vs Amazon Salary | Third level | $386,200 | $344,789 |
| Facebook vs Google Salary | Entry-level | $190,794 | $181,000 |
| Facebook vs Google Salary | Second level | $268,510 | $258,000 |
| Facebook vs Google Salary | Third level | $358,579 | $346,000 |
Tips to Prepare for Meta Software Engineer Interview
As it will be the deciding factor in whether or not you are hired, it is important to know how to prepare for a Facebook software engineer interview. Facebook’s interview questions for software engineers can be tough. Below, we have provided three helpful tips to help you ace your Facebook software engineer interview.
Tip 1: Practice Coding Without Assistance
During your Facebook software engineer interview, you will likely be asked to code within a simple text editor. This means that you will not have the assistance of coding software but will still need to show that you can write clean code.
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Tip 2: Practice Coding Under Pressure
The Facebook software engineer interview process also includes a timed element. This means that you will need to be able to code under a time constraint and under the supervision of your interview. This can be a lot of pressure so you should try and practice in similar environments.
Tip 3: Brush Up on Your Facebook Knowledge
Facebook interview questions for software engineers will include many company-specific questions. With this, you should make sure you are familiar with Facebook’s products and services so you are able to address the questions properly.
Facebook Software Engineer Salary: Is It Worth It?
Yes, a software engineering job at Facebook is worth it. 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 $185,000 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 much more. If you’re thinking about going to work for a big tech company, Facebook is definitely one you should consider.
Facebook Software Engineer Salary FAQ
It is very hard to get a software engineering job at Facebook. The company aims to hire the best of the best and expects a high level of performance. You need to show a mastery of coding skills in order to be a software engineer at Facebook.
Does Facebook hire software engineers without a degree?
Yes, Facebook does hire software engineers without a degree, though the company does prefer applicants to have at least a Bachelor’s in Computer Science. It may be more difficult to get a job at Facebook without a degree, but it is possible.
How many software engineers does Facebook have?
There are tens of thousands of software engineers employed by Facebook around the world. In fact, Meta shows nearly 30,000 software engineering employees on their LinkedIn page.
What skills does Facebook look for in software engineering?
The skills that Facebook looks for in a software engineering applicant include machine learning skills, communication skills, and coding proficiency in a variety of languages. Depending on what product you want to work on, you may be expected to display mastery in anything from C++ to PHP.
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