OpenAI backend engineering salaries
Across 137 open backend engineering postings at OpenAI that state a range, the middle half pays $326k–$366k a year, with a median of $356k. The lowest posted floor is $137k and the highest ceiling $555k. This is base pay as posted by OpenAI, converted to US dollars; equity and bonus are not included.
The range
Postings by the midpoint of the posted range, in steps of $50k
Median by team at OpenAI
Postings with a stated range: Engineering leadership 16 · AI and machine learning 92 · Security 13 · Backend engineering 137 · Legal 10 · Data science 21 · Hardware engineering 16 · Product management 36
Backend engineering pay by level
| Level | Postings | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level | 10 | $337k | $326k–$356k |
| Senior | 44 | $356k | $326k–$367k |
| Staff and principal | 11 | $356k | $332k–$366k |
Best-paid open backend engineering roles
141 backend engineering roles open at OpenAI now
137 of them show the pay range on the posting.
Questions
How much does OpenAI pay for backend engineering roles?
The median of the 137 posted ranges is $356k a year; the middle half sits between $326k and $366k.
Is this base salary or total compensation?
Base salary as written in the posting. Many US employers post ranges under state pay transparency laws (California, New York, Washington, Colorado and others); equity and bonus are not part of these figures.
Why posted ranges and not self-reported salaries?
A posted range is what the employer commits to for a role it has open today. It is fresher than a survey and cannot be inflated by respondents. Each posting counts once, at the midpoint of its range.
Which level pays most?
Senior roles have the highest median here: $356k a year across 44 postings.