Microsoft represents Tech's familiar dichotomy. Layoffs on the one hand are big paydays for AI talent on the other.
Microsoft has invested heavily in AI and has spent billions on its flagship Copilot tool. It is also Openai's biggest investor, despite the relationship showing some cracks.
The high-tech giant is urging staff to use internal AI tools more frequently. Managers can also provide employee retention bonuses, including those who contributed to the AI initiative, according to the internal documentation obtained by Business Insider.
A spreadsheet obtained by Business Insider in 2024 showed that employees within Microsoft's AI organization are creating more than non-AI colleagues.
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced multiple layoffs this year that will affect thousands of employees. They also want to eliminate low performance, such as performance improvement plans that include payout offers.
Some layoffs include traditional sales staff who support technical salespeople to better sell AI tools. This shift occurs as Microsoft faces increased competition from Google and its partner Openai.
However, the company still employs it. While Microsoft keeps compensation information close to the best, public workplace visa data gives you a glimpse into the types of pay they can provide employees with. The numbers refer to foreigners only, not just winning bonuses and stock awards that employees receive.
We saw Microsoft was most frequently hired roles from overseas. Software engineers can earn $284,000 on a base salary, while product managers can attract up to $250,000.
Microsoft's subsidiary LinkedIn also employs foreign workers, including within the AI subset of machine learning. Senior software engineers at Machine Learning can make $278,000, while staff software engineers at Machine Learning can take home up to $336,000.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Based on roughly 5,400 applications since the first quarter of 2025, here are what Microsoft is paying for in its main role:
Microsoft Software Engineers can take home up to $284,000
Applied Science: $127,200 to $261,103
Business Analysis: $159,300 to $191,580
Business Plan: $117,200 to $201,900
Business Program Management: $102,380-$195,100
Cloud Network Engineering: $122,700 to $220,716
Cloud Solutions Architecture: $130,000 to $207,285
Construction Project Management: $150,000 to $193,690
Customer Experience Engineering: $126,422 to $239,585
Customer Experience Program Management: $141,865 to $201,508
Customer Solutions Architecture: $122,730 to $225,000
Data Analysis: $132,385 to $205,000
Data Center Operations Management: $115,000 to $176,900
Data Engineering: $144,855 to $264,000
Data Science: $121,200 to $274,500
Demand Plan: $147,000 to $204,550
Digital Cloud Solutions Architecture: $155,085 to $217,589
Electrical Engineering: $138,995 to $247,650
Financial Analysis: $91,100 to $213,800
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Hardware Engineering: $136,000 to $270,641
Product Design: $125,100 to $208,058
Product Management: $122,800 to $250,000
Product Marketing: $113,350 to $213,200
Research Science: $146,054 to $208,000
Research, Applied and Data Science: $85,821 to $208,800
Service Engineering: $130,080 to $182,500
Silicon Engineering: $116,334 to $275,000
Site Reliability Engineering: $135,100 to $236,670
Software Engineering: $82,971 to $284,000
Solution Area Specialist: $144,000 to $209,300
Supply Plan: $131,300 to $193,270
Technical Program Management: $120,900 to $238,000
Technical Support Advisory: $114,290 to $153,984
Technical Support Engineering: $80,371 to $176,606
Technology Specialist: $168,800-$200,000
UX Survey: $138,560 to $177,148
Machine Learning LinkedIn Staff Software Engineers can earn up to $336,000
Ryan Roslansky is the CEO of LinkedIn and employs the AI subset of machine learning. Lee Fogel/Getty Images from Concordia Summit
Manager, Software Engineering: $197,185 to $301,000
Product Manager: $141,000 to $252,000
Software Engineer: $108,826 to $205,000
Software Engineer, Machine Learning: $135,000 to $231,000
Software Engineer, System Infrastructure: $135,000 to $231,000
Senior Software Engineer: $121,000 to $249,000
Senior Software Engineer, Machine Learning: $154,000 to $278,000
Senior Software Engineer, System Infrastructure: $144,000 to $278,000
Staff Software Engineer: $158,000 to $301,000
Staff Software Engineer, Machine Learning: $190,486 to $336,000
Staff Software Engineer, System Infrastructure: $190,486 to $336,000
