Question 1

What does a Principal Software Engineer at OpenAI make?

Accepted Answer

Open Principal Software Engineer postings at OpenAI disclose a median band of $366K–$490K annual. Based on 2 active postings that meet the salary-disclosure floor.

Question 2

What's the entry-level compensation for Software Engineer at OpenAI?

Accepted Answer

Mid Software Engineer postings at OpenAI disclose a median band of $230K–$385K annual, drawn from 171 active postings.

Question 3

How is OpenAI's Software Engineer salary data sourced?

Accepted Answer

Every band is derived from active OpenAI job postings that disclose a USD-yearly salary above the qualifying floor, plus verified community submissions where available. 178 qualifying job postings currently feed this page.

Question 4

What seniority levels does OpenAI hire for Software Engineer?

Accepted Answer

Across active postings, OpenAI currently hires Software Engineers at: Mid, Senior, Staff, Principal. Each tier has at least two open postings that meet the salary-disclosure floor.

Question 5

Why does Software Engineer compensation vary at OpenAI?

Accepted Answer

The P25–P75 spread for Principal Software Engineer at OpenAI is $357K–$490K. Specialisation, team, and location are the main drivers; the long-tail page surfaces the per-tier breakdown.

Software Engineer at OpenAI

Seniority bands

Where OpenAI hires Software Engineers

Open Software Engineer jobs at OpenAI

Frequently asked

Seniority	Jobs	Min P25	Median min	Median max	Max P75
Mid	171	$230K	$230K	$385K	$441K
Senior	3	$262K	$293K	$325K	$334K
Staff	2	$242K	$277K	$385K	$385K
Principal	2	$357K	$366K	$490K	$490K