Hi there, happy Friday.
Whether you're winding down for the weekend or still stuck in meetings, here’s something to chew on, especially if you’ve ever wondered what top talent at Big Tech is making behind the scenes.
This week, Business Insider pulled data from Amazon’s recent H-1B visa filings, and it offers a rare look into how one of the world’s biggest employers is paying its foreign tech workforce in the US.
Let’s break it down.
📌 The big picture
Amazon employs 1.5 million people globally.
In the first quarter of 2025, around 11,300 of them were working in the US on H-1B visas.
These are specialty work visas that let American companies hire skilled workers from abroad, especially in engineering, tech, and data roles.
The visa filings not only reveal how many were hired, but also how much they’re paid. And that’s where it gets interesting.
📌 How much are we talking?
Based on data compiled by Business Insider, here are some of the upper-end salary figures:
Software Engineer at AWS: Up to $185,000
Software Development Engineer at Amazon.com: Up to $263,700
Data Scientist: Up to $230,900
Technical Product Manager: Up to $235,200
Software Dev Manager: As high as $287,700
📌 That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here's a broader look:
Software Development Engineer at Amazon Dev Center US
Salary range: $95,493 – $260,600Manager, Software Development at Amazon.com Services
Salary range: $148,950 – $287,700Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Salary range: $112,474 – $225,000Data Engineer at Amazon.com Services
Salary range: $70,262 – $236,344Business Intelligence Engineer at AWS
Salary range: $96,678 – $176,012Technical Program Manager at Amazon.com Services
Salary range: $108,098 – $231,400📌 But, why does the pay range vary?
The same title doesn’t mean the same pay.
Amazon says compensation depends on a mix of factors:
Job role and level
Location (a developer in New York may earn more than one in a smaller city)
Experience and performance
And sometimes, the strategic value of the team
They also review salaries regularly to stay competitive in a market where tech talent is in constant demand.
📌 What does this tell us?
Beyond the numbers, here’s what stands out:
Despite all the talk around AI replacing jobs, specialized human talent continues to command serious compensation, especially in big, complex companies like Amazon.
With over 11,000 H-1B workers, Amazon isn’t just hiring from the US talent pool. It's sourcing expertise from across the world and paying them competitively.
These figures often don’t include bonuses, equity, or other benefits, which can significantly increase total compensation.
That’s it for today. If you found this edition interesting and entertaining, please drop a like and follow us for more!
See ya👋
