Here’s How Much I Made at My First Job at Microsoft — and What I Make Now
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Back in 2005, fresh-faced and full of dreams, Thomas R. landed his first gig as a product manager at Microsoft. Little did he know, he was about to embark on a journey that would take him from comfortable stability to Silicon Valley’s fast lane.
Here’s how much one person made at their first job at Microsoft — and what they make now.
Starting Salary: More Than Just Beer Money
When Thomas first joined the Microsoft ranks, he was pulling in around $80,000 a year, plus benefits that would make most new grads drool. Sure, it wasn’t “buy a yacht” money, but for a 20-something in the mid-2000s, it was nothing to sneeze at. Plus, in the Seattle area, that salary stretched further than a yoga instructor at a tech campus.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I can actually afford name-brand cereal now,'” Thomas shared. “It might seem silly but I didn’t have that growing up.”
The Microsoft Life: More Balance Than a Tightrope Walker
One thing Thomas says he liked about Microsoft was the work-life balance.
“My manager pretty much left me alone outside of work hours,” Thomas said. “I kinda thought every future job would be like this — not so.”
This culture of balance meant Thomas could pursue his hobbies, and he got into sourdough starters and cycling.
“It was a really good first job in terms of teaching me what really matters — the stuff outside the work,” he said.
The Slow and Steady Climb
As the years rolled by, Thomas’s salary grew steadily, if not in spectacular leaps. Microsoft’s approach to compensation was like its approach to software updates: reliable, but not huge.
“Every year, I’d get a decent raise and some stock options,” Thomas said. “It wasn’t life-changing but felt OK, especially in the beginning of my career.”
By 2015, Thomas had worked his way up to a senior product manager role, pulling in around $150,000 a year.
The Siren Call of Silicon Valley
But as comfortable as life at Microsoft was, Thomas saw what some of his contemporaries were making in Silicon Valley.
“I started to wonder if I was missing out,” Thomas said. “Was I leaving money on the table because I was comfortable? Of course, the head hunters who reach out almost constantly are reminding you of that, too.”
The Big Leap: Hello, Meta!
In 2020, after 15 years at Microsoft, Thomas decided to take the plunge. He accepted a product manager role at Meta (formerly Facebook), and suddenly found himself in the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley tech.
The Salary Shock
“When they told me the salary, I thought there must have been a mistake,” Thomas said. “I actually asked them to repeat it, like some sitcom character.”
Thomas’s new compensation package at Meta came in at $240,000 base salary, plus stock options that brought his total compensation to around $400,000 — more than triple what he was making at Microsoft.
“Suddenly, I was the guy buying the fancy guacamole for the whole office,” Thomas said.
The Culture Shock
But as Thomas quickly learned, that massive salary bump came with some…adjustments.
“At Microsoft, ‘crunch time’ meant we might order in dinner once a week,” Thomas shared. “At Meta, ‘crunch time’ seems to be all the time. I’m pretty sure my desk chair has a permanent imprint of my butt.”
The work-life balance Thomas had grown accustomed to at Microsoft was suddenly as elusive as a bug-free code launch. Late nights, weekend work and a constant sense of urgency became the new normal.
“I used to train for marathons,” Thomas said. “Now I just sprint from meeting to meeting. Does that count as cardio?”
The Trade-Offs
While Thomas’s bank account is certainly happier these days, he says transition hasn’t been without some challenges.
“At Microsoft, I felt like I was part of a big, slightly dysfunctional family,” he said. “At Meta, it sometimes feels like we’re all contestants on some high-stakes reality show. The rewards are bigger, but so is the pressure. It’s always so hard to tell if you made the right choice!”
Thomas has had to say goodbye to his sourdough starters and his cycling is less frequent these days. But, on the flip side, he’s gained a new appreciation for meditation apps and ergonomic desk setups.
“I’m learning to find balance in a much more intense environment,” Thomas said. “And let’s be honest, the paycheck does help ease the stress.”
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