$340K for code, $230k for design: What Google pays its top AI talent

Google's salary filings offer rare insight into what the tech giant pays its global workforce, with annual salaries going up to $340,000

Google is offering lucrative salaries to hire and keep top talent amid the ongoing AI boom, with software engineers earning up to $340,000 annually.

 

While the tech giant typically keeps compensation details private, mandatory work visa disclosures submitted to the US Department of Labour offer a rare window into base salary structures across roles. These figures, reported by Business Insider, reflect only fixed compensation and exclude bonuses and equity, which can significantly elevate total earnings.

 

Top salaries for engineers and technical teams

 

Software engineers are among the highest-paid roles at Google, with base salaries reaching $340,000 annually. Other engineering functions are also well-compensated:

 

 

Research engineers: Up to $265,000

Hardware engineers: Up to $284,000

 

Product and project managers

 

Product managers, who oversee the development of Google’s apps and services, command salaries of up to $280,000.

 

Technical programme managers: up to $270,000

General programme managers: up to $236,000

 

Data, Research, and UX Design

 

Data scientists and researchers also feature among Google’s top earners, with some salaries as high as $303,000.

 

UX designers and researchers typically earn between $124,000 and $230,000, depending on seniority and specialisation.

 

Other key roles

 

Roles in finance, consulting, and quality control also offer generous pay:

- Financial analyst: Up to $225,000

- Business systems analyst: Up to $201,000

- Search quality analyst: Up to $235,000

- Solutions consultants: Up to $282,000

 

New performance review system: GRAD

 

Google has updated its employee review system to place greater focus on high performance.  The company uses a proprietary tool known as GRAD (Googler reviews and development) to evaluate employees annually.

Employees are rated on a scale ranging from 'not enough impact' to 'transformative impact', with their rating directly influencing bonuses and equity.