Meta’s Software Engineer Levels Explained

Meta Levels for Software Engineers

Meta (formerly Facebook) has a well-defined structure and levels for software engineers, starting from E2 (IC2) for interns/students. This article will focus on levels E3 (IC3) to E10 (IC10), covering fully qualified engineers and individual contributors. These levels define career progression, responsibilities, and compensation, ensuring clarity and growth opportunities for engineers at Meta.

We’ll provide an overview of what to expect at each individual contributor level. Leading tech companies, particularly FAANG (Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google), use structured levelling systems to standardize compensation, ensuring fairness and consistency based on job roles, qualifications, and responsibilities.

At Meta, entry-level software engineers start at the E3 level and can advance to higher levels like M2 (Software Engineering Manager) or E8 (Principle Software Engineer), depending on their skills and experience. In contrast, Google designates its entry-level software engineers as L3.

This article explores Meta’s software engineer levels, looking at career progression, compensation, and professional growth opportunities within the company.

Meta Individual Contributor (IC) Levels

E3 – Software Engineer ||

E3 Software Engineers join the company from university or have a couple of years of commercial experience (intern or apprentice). They are expected to have autonomy sufficient to complete individual tasks without much guidance, deliver production-quality code, use tools, implement good tests, and write documentation.

Though not critical, people and soft skills are still important. With the expected level of coaching, they should be able to receive constructive feedback, work on it, and improve proactively.

At Meta, Software Engineers at Level E3 are expected to be well-rounded engineers who can deliver good-quality code and features and exhibit a strong growth mindset. Engineers at that level are expected to grow to E4 within 24 months.

E4 – Software Engineer |||

E4 Software Engineer: As a Software Engineer Level |||, your responsibilities include working on projects to deliver complete features. You will be responsible for the project’s technical specifications and work collaboratively with other teams to ensure successful delivery. While working primarily independently, you should assist your colleagues by conducting code reviews or providing constructive feedback on technical decisions.

E5 – Senior Software Engineer

**E5 Senior Software Engineer: You own a problem space/project end-**to-end and should create scope for yourself and others in the team. You are driving technical alignment and collaboration across functions and teams. As a Senior Software Engineer, you help other engineers grow through mentoring and coaching. You set and maintain the quality bar for the team. You can drive and deliver through others.

E6 – Staff Software Engineer

E6 Staff Software Engineer: You play a critical role in setting the direction and goals of the team. As a Staff Software Engineer, you are responsible for driving roadmapping, scoping work, and managing technical problems outside the team while influencing the organization. You are the one that deals with the most complex issues. If needed, you can cover for missing PM or EM in the team and advocate for high quality and engineering excellence.

E7 – Senior Staff Software Engineer

E7 Senior Staff Software Engineer: Different tracks and Archetypes focusing on breadth or depth regarding technical complexity, working on large programs spanning multiple teams and orgs, and setting the organizational direction of a significant problem. These engineers are involved in building high-performing engineering teams and organizations.

E8 – Principal Engineer

E8 Principal Engineer: Industry expert/leader. You have an impact beyond Meta into an industry or specific technology area, and you are very passionate about an area and champion it. As Principal Engineer, you drive technical, process and cultural changes to help the company move fast. You are pursuing many complex incremental changes instead of just building new/shiny pieces of technology. You are a great coach, and people follow you.

E9 – Distinguished Engineer

E9 Distinguished Engineer: In the US, these engineers earn over $2.5M annually. Among thousands of engineers at Meta, fewer than 50 (less than 1%) achieve this level. E9 engineers are known for their exceptional ability to uplift their teams, creating significant projects and clear tasks that help teammates rapidly advance. This leadership and talent development foster loyalty and capability, enabling E9 engineers to achieve substantial impact. They exemplify the importance of scaling one’s influence through others to become effective tech leads.

E10 – Engineering Fellow

Meta has very few engineers at this level. They are all internally grown and never hired externally. This level is similar to Google’s Fellow level. One example is Mike Schroepfer, Meta’s ex-CTO and currently a Senior Fellow. He organizes the famous (internal) SchrepTech, keeping all staff members connected with the amazing technology teams building across the company.

Meta Compensation Structure (inc. Examples)

Like many large tech companies, Meta designs its compensation structure for each engineering level to attract and retain top talent by offering a competitive mix of salary, stock options, bonuses, and benefits. This structure typically consists of several key components:

1. Base Salary

The employee’s role, level, experience, and market rates for similar positions determine the base salary, the fixed annual compensation paid to an employee, excluding bonuses, equity, or other benefits.

2. Stock Options/Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

Meta, a publicly traded company, offers stock options or Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) as part of the compensation package. These equity components align the interests of the employees with the company’s success. RSUs are company shares given to employees as part of their compensation, but they come with a vesting schedule, typically over four years. This means the employee gains control of the stock over time, encouraging them to stay with the company longer.

3. Bonuses

Bonuses are performance-based cash payments. They are tied to individual, team, and company performance. These are typically awarded annually and can significantly increase employee compensation based on their and Meta’s success.

4. Benefits

Beyond the monetary compensation, Meta offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement savings plans, parental leave, wellness programs, and more. These benefits contribute to the overall compensation but are not typically quantified in the total compensation figure. These benefits are the same and available for all Engineering Levels at Meta.

Example of Compensation Structure

Let’s consider a hypothetical example for an E3 Software Engineer Level’s Salary at Meta:

• Base Salary: $120,000 annually. This is the fixed cash component paid out in monthly salaries.
• Stock Options/RSUs: $40,000 annually, vested over four years. This means the employee is granted $160,000 worth of RSUs, which start vesting after one year of employment at a rate of $40,000 per year.
• Bonus: $15,000 annually, depending on personal and company performance.
• Total Estimated Compensation: $175,000 annually, not including benefits.

Meta Stock Options Vesting Schedule

Meta offers Stock Options called Restricted Stock Units (RSU); these are treated as cash compensation. For the RSU component, if the vesting schedule is over four years with a one-year cliff, the employee must stay with the company for at least one year to receive the first 25% ($40,000) of their RSUs. After the cliff, the remaining RSUs typically vest monthly or quarterly over the next three years.

This compensation structure is designed to be competitive, reward employees for contributing to the company’s success, and incentivize long-term employment. However, the exact figures can vary based on many factors, including negotiation, the company’s stock price, and more.

Meta Core Company Values

At each Meta engineering level, the person will have to focus and exhibit impact across most or all Meta “Core Values”. These values are fully embedded in the performance evaluation and company processes.

• Move Fast
• Focus on Long-Term Impact
• Build Awesome Things
• Live in the Future
• Be Direct and Respect Your Colleagues
• Meta, Metamates, Me