Microsoft median starting pay near top of tech industry

BY Jamie Skorheim  on June 22, 2012 @ 7:25 am (Updated: 8:57 am - 6/22/12 )

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New Microsoft hires can look forward to a very competitive starting salary in their field. (AP Photo/file) | Zoom
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New Microsoft hires are near the top of the list for highest starting pay, according to a new report from PayScale.

The median starting pay for Microsoft hires is $91,500, according to the report spotted by GeekWire. That's among the highest median starting pay compared to other top tech companies.

Facebook's median starting pay is around $67,900. Google's is at $87,500. Fellow Northwest company, Amazon.com, starts its employees off around $73,300, says the report.

Seattle's Morning News host Linda Thomas is a little envious of job seekers in the market that have the skills to lock down these positions.

"I'm just looking at this report on salaries in the tech field, from PayScale, realizing if I only had some knowledge in computer science that would have been a good thing."

Co-host Bill Radke says he's seen the benefits of tech employment firsthand, watching his sister cash-in on early Amazon work.

"My sister got into Amazon pretty early, back when they had doors for desks," says Radke. "So she's not going to work today."

The report also looks at median pay in the industry mid- career. After 10 years employment at Amazon, employees typically make around $120,000. At Microsoft, the median salary mid-career is around $136,000.

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor

Jamie Skorheim, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Whether it's floating on Green Lake, eating shrimp tacos at Agua Verde, or taking weekend drives out to the Cascades, she loves to enjoy the Pacific Northwest lifestyle as much as humanly possible.
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Comments (7)


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  • kiddenme wrote...
    misleading...
    June 22, 2012 9:40 am
    benefits and stock options need to be included. Additionally, wealth comes from stock not base pay. How many people just became millionares at Facebook?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    They have to pay more
    June 22, 2012 9:55 am
    now that employees have to pony up for insurance. Also, how much of that income stays stateside and not sent back home?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bora wrote...
    Can I work as JENITOR and make $90k at Microsoft?
    June 22, 2012 10:58 am
    Let me know and I'll quit my manager position at Burger King
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    How many $$$$ do overseas Microsoft workers make? . . . .
    June 22, 2012 12:47 pm
    $1 a day?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dark Jedi wrote...
    Oh come on trolls
    June 22, 2012 3:22 pm
    Think about it. They're talking about the sharp development talent. A lot of support services are contracted out. So those people do not make the 90K. Stop trolling.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    sharp development talent? . . . .
    June 22, 2012 4:03 pm
    where did you read that?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kurtthekraut wrote...
    Work Hard,..Have Fun,...Make History....
    June 22, 2012 7:46 pm
    " got into Amazon pretty early, back when they had doors for desks ". We still utilize door desks. :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }