Firmware vs software pay

Seagate
Lucidlucy

Go to company page Seagate

Lucidlucy
Jul 10, 2020 16 Comments

What's the salary difference between firmware/embedded systems/low level engineers and software engineers at your company? Assuming they're at the same level

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TOP 16 Comments
  • Depends on the company I think.

    Some Amazon guys I know make about 25% more in SW than FW of the same level.

    If you compare HDD companies then we probably only make half of what the top FW guys at FB or Google make.
    Jul 10, 2020 10
    • From what I know unless you are target recruit, like how micron is building a new fw team from former sandisk guys, you will be within 5% in each other in the storage competitors.
      Jul 13, 2020
    • @pogues, would you mind sharing that info with me as well? I've been with WD for 9yrs now as a firmware mainly in C and leetcode is not C friendly. So I'm just wondering what the process is like for people in our field to go to FANG
      Oct 1, 2020
  • Intel / R&D
    jian_yang

    Go to company page Intel R&D

    PRE
    STMicroelectronics, Continental Automotive
    jian_yang
    FW with some specialisation on a particular area like FW for AI/Computer Vision/Image processing/Modem(5G/4G) should be able to get a TC better than SWE guys
    Jul 13, 2020 1
    • Modem doesn't pay well either. I know people from Qualcomm san Diego not getting as much as fw guys in irvine, because of no competition in San Diego.

      Modems golden day was when iPhone started, they recruit all the wireless people from Canada and Chicago area and move them all to Cupertino. Big boost for all of them.
      Jul 13, 2020
  • Its same at Broadcom
    Jul 11, 2020 1
  • Seagate
    Lucidlucy

    Go to company page Seagate

    Lucidlucy
    OP
    I'm also gonna assume SWEs make more than firmware engineers pretty much all the time, assuming the same company and YOE. Is this correct? Or are some companies exceptions
    Jul 10, 2020 0