Microsoft has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States, which allows us to pay employees competitively and consistently in different geographic markets. The range reflects the potential base pay across the U.S. for a role (except as noted below); the applicable base pay range will depend on what ultimately is determined to be the candidate’s primary work location. Individual base pay depends on various factors, in addition to primary work location, such as complexity and responsibility of role, job duties/requirements, and relevant experience and skills. Base pay ranges are reviewed and typically updated each year. Offers are made within the base pay range applicable at the time.
At Microsoft certain roles are eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, annual bonus, and stock. These awards are allocated based on individual performance. In addition, certain roles also have the opportunity to earn sales incentives based on revenue or utilization, depending on the terms of the plan and the employee’s role. Benefits/perks listed may vary depending on the nature of employment with Microsoft and the country work location. U.S.-based PhD, University, and Explore interns have access to medical and vision insurance, paid sick time (salaried interns accrue at 3.34 hours per pay period worked; hourly interns accrue at .03846 hour per hour worked), paid federal holidays, and software discounts. Puget Sound-based PhD, University, and Explore interns gain access to a bus pass and a fitness club membership. Discovery interns are not eligible for healthcare benefits or a fitness club membership, but they have access to paid sick time (accrued at .03846 hour per hour worked), paid federal holidays, software discounts, and a bus pass.
Our commitment to pay equity
We are committed to the principle of pay equity – paying employees equitably for substantially similar work. To learn more about pay equity and our other commitments to increase representation and strengthen our culture of inclusion, check out our annual Diversity and Inclusion Report.
Understanding roles at Microsoft
The way we define roles includes two things: discipline (the type of work) and career stage (scope and complexity). The career stage has two parts – the first identifies whether the role is a manager (M), an individual contributor (IC), an admin-technician-retail (ATR) job, or an intern. The second part identifies the relative seniority of the role – a higher number (or later letter alphabetically in the case of ATR) indicates greater scope and complexity.