A U.S. software engineer costs 3–6× more than an equivalent engineer in India, with the gap largest at junior levels (5–6×) and narrower for seniors (3–4×). Senior roles are often cut first for maximum savings, followed by juniors, then managers once IC layers shrink. Even modest offshoring saves tens of millions annually despite coordination, time zone, and attrition challenges.
The key question: is your work worth 3–6× the cost? If the answer is yes, then you are safe.
How did I get these numbers? Pick your favorite AI model and paste this prompt.
Prompt
Search the web and retrieve the latest (2024–2026) median total compensation data for Software Engineers in India and the United States at the following US-based companies:
Tier 1 (Top-Tier Big Tech):
• Google
• Meta
• Amazon
• Apple
• Microsoft
Tier 2 (Strong Product / Upper Mid-Tier):
• LinkedIn
• Salesforce
• Uber
• Nvidia
• Adobe
Tier 3 (Established US Tech / Enterprise / Platform Companies):
• Oracle
• Cisco
• Qualcomm
• Walmart Global Tech
• Intuit
For each company:
- Provide median total compensation in India and in the U.S. in USD.
- Break it down by role level:
o Entry (0–2 years, L3/IC1 equivalent)
o Mid (2–5 years, L4/IC2 equivalent)
o Senior (5–8 years, L5/IC3 equivalent)
o Staff/Principal (8+ years, L6+/IC4+ equivalent) - For each level, include:
o Median Base Salary (USD)
o Median Annualized RSU/Stock (USD)
o Median Bonus (USD)
o Median Total Compensation (USD) - Calculate the ratio: U.S. median total compensation ÷ India median total compensation for each level — i.e., how many times U.S. employees are more expensive than Indian employees.
- Use data only from:
o Levels.fyi
o Glassdoor
o Blind
o AmbitionBox
o Official compensation reports (if available) - Cite all sources with direct URLs.
- Clearly mention the number of data points used (if available).
- Convert INR → USD using the current exchange rate and state the rate used.
- If level mapping differs across companies, normalize levels to the four categories above.
- Present results in well-structured tables, grouped by company tier.
- Flag where data is incomplete or sample size is small.