Microsoft Software Engineer Levels Explained: Level 59 to Technical Fellow

Microsoft gives every engineer a number instead of only a title. The software engineering numbers run from 59 at entry level to 80 for a Technical Fellow. Level 63 is Senior Software Engineer, and level 65 is where the Principal title begins.

The number matters more than the title, because two numbers often share one title. A level 63 engineer and a level 64 engineer are both called Senior SDE, but they sit in different pay bands. Job postings show the title, while recruiters and offer letters use the number.

This guide explains each level: the title, the typical years of experience, the pay, and the promotion path. It also answers the two questions people ask most often. Why do the numbers start at 59, and which level can you stay at for a whole career?

Microsoft Levels in One Table

Pay figures are United States medians reported to levels.fyi. Stock grants and location move them a lot, so treat them as a starting point.

Why Microsoft Numbers Start at 59

Microsoft uses one numbering system for the whole company, not one for engineering alone. The same scale covers support roles, sales, and operations, so software engineering begins partway up it. There is no level 1 software engineer at Microsoft, and Amazon does the same thing with its L4 start.

The practical effect is that Microsoft numbers do not line up with Google or Meta numbers. A Microsoft 63 is a senior engineer, while a Google L3 is a new graduate. Comparing raw numbers across companies gives the wrong answer every time.

Level 59 and 60: Software Engineer

Level 59 is the entry point for full-time engineers. Most people here are recent graduates or have under two years of experience.

An SDE at this stage writes and debugs code on tasks that someone else has already scoped. They fix bugs, build small features, and join design reviews to learn how decisions get made. Level 60 carries the same public title, and it is the step where an engineer starts finishing work without close supervision.

Compensation: around $153K total at 59 and around $180K at 60, including base salary, bonus, and stock.

Promotion: moving from 59 to 61 usually takes about two years.

Level 61 and 62: Software Engineer II

Level 61 is where an engineer becomes fully independent. Most people here have two to five years of experience.

An SDE II owns a complete feature from design through launch and support. They break down ambiguous work themselves, write the design document, and handle the production problems their code causes. They also start mentoring the engineers at 59 and 60.

Level 62 is the senior half of the same title. The scope grows from one feature to a set of related features. A 62 often leads a small group of engineers on a project without being their manager.

Compensation: around $185K at 61 and around $208K at 62.

Promotion: the step from 61 to 63 commonly takes two to four years. This is the last promotion most engineers get through strong individual work alone.

Level 63 and 64: Senior Software Engineer

Level 63 is the Senior title, and it is the most important level in Microsoft's system. Most engineers who spend a career at Microsoft end up here.

A Senior SDE owns a system end to end rather than a feature. They set technical direction for their team, lead design discussions, and review the designs other engineers write. They are also expected to improve the engineers around them.

Level 64 is the same title with wider scope, and a 64 usually owns work that crosses more than one team. The pay gap between 63 and 64 is roughly $40K per year. That is why the number matters more than the title.

Years of experience: typically five to ten at 63, and seven to twelve at 64. Microsoft hires strong external candidates directly into 63.

Compensation: around $233K to $245K at 63, and around $270K to $281K at 64.

Interview loops at 63 and above put heavy weight on system design. At 61 and below, coding carries most of the decision.

Level 65 to 67: Principal Software Engineer

Level 65 is where the Principal title starts, and where compensation moves into a different range.

A Principal SDE works across an organization rather than a team. They set architecture for a product area and resolve technical disagreements between teams. They are held responsible for outcomes that take more than a year to arrive.

Levels 66 and 67 keep the same title and widen the scope again. By 67 the work affects a whole division and involves multi-year technical strategy.

Compensation: around 330K at 65, around 411K at 66, and around $600K at 67. From 65 upward the annual stock grant is larger than the base salary, so the offer depends heavily on the stock price.

Promotion: the step from 64 to 65 is the hardest common promotion at Microsoft. It requires influence across organizations, not just excellent engineering, and many strong engineers stay at 63 or 64 for their whole career.

Level 68 and Above: Partner, Distinguished Engineer, and Technical Fellow

Levels 68 and 69 carry the Partner title. Partner engineers set direction for major parts of the company while remaining individual contributors. Reported total pay is around $770K, but few people report figures this high, so treat it as a wide range.

Level 70 is Distinguished Engineer, held by a small group of Microsoft's most senior technical leaders, and reported packages reach about $1.08M. Level 80 is Technical Fellow, the highest technical position at Microsoft, and compensation there is not publicly reported. These levels are given by nomination, so there is no timeline for reaching them.

What Is Microsoft's Terminal Level?

A terminal level is a level you can hold for your whole career without pressure to be promoted. At Microsoft that level is 63, Senior Software Engineer.

An engineer can stay at 63 indefinitely and still receive raises, stock refreshes, and strong reviews. Nothing forces a move to 65. This differs from Meta, where engineers below E5 face a real up or out expectation.

The step past 63 is a choice about the kind of work you want. Levels 65 and above require leading across organizations and spending much of your time on other people's work.

For comparison, the terminal level is L4 at Google, E5 at Meta, SDE II at Amazon, and ICT4 at Apple. The FAANG software engineer levels guide has the full comparison.

How Microsoft Compensation Works

Microsoft pay has three parts: base salary, an annual cash bonus, and stock.

Stock is granted as restricted stock units. A new grant commonly vests over four years, with 25 percent vesting each year, though some offers use a five year schedule.

Microsoft also gives an annual refresh grant, and its size depends on your performance review. Those reviews are called Connects. Two engineers at the same level can therefore earn noticeably different amounts.

Pay transparency laws in several United States states require Microsoft to publish base salary ranges in job postings. Those ranges cover base salary only. They exclude the bonus and the stock, which together make up most of the difference between levels.

How Microsoft Levels Compare to Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple

The senior row decides most offers. Microsoft 63, Google L5, Amazon L6, Meta E5, and Apple ICT4 are the same job with five different names.

One mistake is common and expensive. Microsoft 65 is called Principal and Amazon L7 is also called Principal, but Google has no Principal title until L8. Matching titles across companies produces the wrong level, so match the scope of the work instead.

How to Avoid Being Under-Leveled at Microsoft

Ask the recruiter for the number before the loop is scheduled, not after the offer arrives. A posting that says Senior Software Engineer could be a 63 loop or a 64 loop, and the difference is around $40K per year.

If your experience supports a higher level than the one you were assigned, say so early. Microsoft can calibrate you up during the loop, and interviewers are told which level they are assessing against. Levels rarely change after the interviews, though pay inside a band stays negotiable.

Two things carry the most weight when Microsoft decides between two adjacent levels:

• Scope of past work. A 63 owns a system and a 61 owns a feature. Describe what you owned, not what you contributed to.
• System design performance. At 63 and above this round often decides the level.

The Microsoft interview handbook breaks down each round, and Microsoft system design interview questions covers what comes up most often.

Frequently asked questions

What level is Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft? Level 63. It typically requires five to ten years of experience and pays around 233K to 245K total per year. Level 64 carries the same title with wider scope and pays around 270K to 281K.

What is the terminal level at Microsoft? Level 63. Engineers can stay at Senior Software Engineer for their entire career with no pressure to be promoted. Moving to 65 is optional and requires influence across multiple organizations.

Why do Microsoft levels start at 59? The numbers are a company-wide scale covering every job family, not only engineering. Software engineering begins at 59, so there is no level 1 engineer.

Is Microsoft level 63 the same as Google L5? Yes, in scope and seniority. Both are the senior engineer level, and both match Amazon L6, Meta E5, and Apple ICT4. The raw numbers do not line up across companies, so compare the job rather than the digits.

How long does it take to get from 61 to 63? Two to four years is common. The step from 64 to 65 is much harder, takes several more years, and many engineers never take it.

What is the difference between Principal, Partner, and Technical Fellow? Principal (65 to 67) sets architecture for a product area. Partner (68 to 69) sets direction for a major part of the company. Technical Fellow (80) is the highest technical position at Microsoft. Partner and above are given by nomination.

How much do Microsoft engineers earn at each level? Rough United States medians: 59 around $153K, 61 around $185K, 63 around $233K, 65 around $330K, 67 around $600K, and 68 around $770K.

If you are heading into an offer conversation, Grokking Tech Salary Negotiations covers the scripts for level and compensation negotiation.

Related reading

• FAANG Software Engineer Levels Explained
• Google Software Engineer Levels Explained
• Amazon SDE Levels Explained
• Meta Software Engineer Levels Explained
• Apple ICT Levels Explained
• Microsoft System Design Interview Questions