A leaked internal compensation database has provided an unusual glimpse into how Microsoft rewards employees across some of its most strategically important businesses, including AI, cloud computing, security and gaming.
According to reporting by Business Insider, the spreadsheet contains compensation information voluntarily submitted by nearly 600 Microsoft employees. The data covers base salaries, annual pay increases, cash bonuses and stock awards across multiple job levels and business units.
The figures emerge as Microsoft continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence while competing aggressively for engineering and research talent against rivals including Google, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic.
Equity emerges as a major component of compensation
The employee-submitted data suggests compensation at Microsoft extends well beyond base salary, with stock awards and bonuses accounting for a significant share of total rewards, particularly in higher-level and specialist roles.
Among the most notable findings, employees in Microsoft's Cloud + AI organisation reported stock awards ranging from $9,000 to $1.4 million, while reported base salaries ranged from $111,000 to $450,000. Cash bonuses in the division reached as high as $300,000.
The figures underscore the premium being placed on talent working in businesses central to Microsoft's long-term growth strategy.
How pay varies across Microsoft's businesses
The leaked data highlights significant differences in compensation across organisational units.
Reported compensation ranges included:
- Azure: Base salaries between $123,000 and $252,000, with stock awards reaching $294,000.
- Cloud + AI: Base salaries between $111,000 and $450,000, with equity awards up to $1.4 million.
- Microsoft AI: Base salaries between $134,000 and $232,000, with stock awards reaching $140,000.
- Security: Base salaries between $122,000 and $232,000.
- Xbox: Base salaries between $134,000 and $218,000.
- Experiences and Devices: Base salaries between $115,000 and $253,100.
The data suggests employees in AI and cloud-related roles are among the company's most heavily rewarded groups as demand for specialised talent intensifies across the technology sector.
Seniority drives higher rewards
The spreadsheet also offers insight into how compensation changes across Microsoft's internal job levels.
Employees at Level 59, typically among the lower levels represented in the dataset, reported base salaries ranging from $111,000 to $134,000.
At Level 67, reported salaries ranged from $239,100 to $280,000, alongside cash bonuses of up to $110,000 and stock awards reaching $300,000.
The figures indicate a clear increase in compensation as employees progress through the organisation. However, annual salary increases appear comparatively modest.
For Level 67 employees, reported annual raises ranged between 0.5% and 1%, considerably lower than the potential value of equity and bonus awards.
Snapshot of a competitive talent market
The compensation disclosures arrive during a period of significant change for Microsoft.
The company has continued to channel investment into AI infrastructure, products and talent while simultaneously restructuring parts of its workforce. Microsoft announced thousands of job cuts earlier this year even as it expanded investments in AI and cloud computing.
Business Insider noted that the spreadsheet should not be viewed as Microsoft's official compensation database. The information was submitted anonymously and voluntarily by employees and represents only a small fraction of the company's global workforce.
Even so, the dataset provides a rare window into compensation practices at one of the world's largest technology companies and highlights the growing value attached to AI, cloud and advanced engineering talent.