Have you wondered how much do employees at Tesla make in a year? The company that sees Elon Musk at its helm is expected to pay its workforce handsomely, regardless of the market conditions. Hence, a recent deep dive into Tesla’s salary data, sourced from Levels.fyi, sheds light on Tesla’s giant’s compensation philosophy. The findings reveal a complex salary structure that goes beyond a simple base pay, including big stock-based rewards that are crucial to attracting and retaining top talent.
Tesla’s pay scales are designed to be competitive with other major players in the tech industry, particularly for high-demand positions. The structure aims to reward technical expertise and innovation, with a focus on empowering engineers and designers who are critical to the company’s mission.
Overall salary structure
Tesla’s median annual total compensation is $161,894. A key component of this structure is the vesting of RSUs, which follows a four-year schedule, with 25% vesting each year. This vesting can occur either annually or quarterly. Additionally, employees have the option to choose between stock options and RSUs, with a grant of three options for every one RSU.
Software engineer
This is the highest-paid role according to the data, with a reported total compensation of up to $949,333 for a P6-level engineer in the United States. The median salary for a Software Engineer ranges from $158,160 to $440,000, with a base salary between $124,000 and $263,000. The RSU component for this role is notable, ranging from $22,000 to $158,000.
Mechanical engineer*
Mechanical engineers at Tesla have a average total compensation ranging from $126,600 to $330,000. Their base salary is between $107,000 and $205,000, and the RSU component is between $8,000 and $95,000.
Hardware engineer
The average total compensation for hardware engineers ranges from $139,300 to $400,000. Their base salary is between $113,000 and $232,000, and RSUs range from $15,000 to $115,000.
Data scientist
Data scientists at Tesla have a average total compensation ranging from $144,200 to $356,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $112,000 to $214,000, and RSUs ranging from $17,000 to $105,000.
Product manager
Product managers have a average compensation ranging from $170,000 to $435,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $145,000 to $266,000, and RSUs ranging from $20,000 to $130,000.
Technical Program Manager
The average total salary for technical program managers ranges from $158,300 to $420,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $129,000 to $230,000, and RSUs ranging from $19,000 to $125,000.
UX Designer
UX designers at Tesla have an average total salary ranging from $140,500 to $368,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $118,000 to $208,000, and RSUs ranging from $12,000 to $120,000.
Firmware Engineer
Firmware engineers have a median total compensation ranging from $139,000 to $350,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $116,000 to $216,000, and RSUs ranging from $15,000 to $92,000.
Manufacturing Engineer
The average salaries for manufacturing engineers range from $109,200 to $285,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $92,000 to $165,000, and RSUs ranging from $5,000 to $85,000.
Industrial Designer
The average total salary for industrial designers ranges from $118,500 to $300,000. Their compensation includes a base salary of $101,000 to $181,000, and RSUs ranging from $10,000 to $88,000.