Tesla employees are paid through their base salary/pay, stocks, and bonuses. They recently made some changes to their compensation for salaried employees so it’s worth exploring Tesla’s compensation options. How much do they actually pay their employees?
Tesla employees in the US are generally paid below the market for the tech industry, and about average or above for the automotive one. The average pay is around $23 to $26 per hour across departments, and between $70,000-120,000 for salaried ones, but this varies greatly by location and your position.
For example, Microsoft pays its engineers about $170,000 on average for 0 to 2 years of experience, while Tesla pays about $150,000 for the same level.
Senior and staff engineers at Tesla are paid extremely high, from $200,000 up to $300,000 and beyond, but a big chunk of this salary comes in the form of Tesla stocks (30-50% for senior roles). If the stock drops, so does your overall compensation.
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How Much Does Tesla Pay per Hour?
The average hourly pay for Tesla employees is around $24 per hour. This can range anywhere between $16 and $40 and above. The hourly pay will greatly depend on the location, with Fremont in California being one of the highest paying areas, but also one of the most expensive to live in.
If you’re looking to go work in Fremont, California, keep in mind that $100,000 in Fremont is like $70,000 in an average state in the US. Highly expensive, so your pay should reflect that.
How Much Does Tesla Pay Their Salaried Employees?
The average salary of a Tesla employee can range wildly depending on the position but is usually between $70k and $120k a year, where this can usually go up to $150k for a base salary, and beyond $200k combined with stock options and bonuses.
Tesla engineers are highly paid anywhere between $100k and $150k on average and will depend on the role. They get their base salary of at least $100,000 a year, on which they add the value of their Tesla stocks. The highest paid workers also get bonuses.
The top engineers make above $150,000, usually at least $130,000 in base salary, and about $15-20,000+ in stocks. Some of the top engineers, such as the staff engineer earn beyond $200,000 per year, and combined with Tesla stocks, their compensation can go up to $300,000 and beyond.
Keep in mind that while you’ll be at a great company, with a great culture where you can learn a lot, Tesla engineers are known to get burned out, with daily work of beyond 12h. While some can take this, having a good work/life balance is important, and oftentimes it’s not worth it.
Which Positions at Tesla Get Paid the Highest?
Tesla is known for offering competitive compensation packages to its employees, and certain positions command higher salaries than others. The pay scale varies based on the level of responsibility, expertise, and experience required for the role.
If you’re curious about which positions at Tesla pay the highest, here are a few examples:
- Engineering and Research Roles: Senior Software Engineers, Senior Hardware Engineers, and Research Scientists are among the highest-paying positions at Tesla. These roles typically require a high level of technical knowledge and several years of experience in the field.
- Management and Executive Roles: Project Managers, Directors, and Vice Presidents are some of the highest-paying management and executive positions at Tesla. These roles come with significant responsibilities and require strong leadership skills.
- Sales and Business Development Roles: Sales Managers, Business Development Managers, and Product Managers who perform exceptionally well are among the highest-paid roles in Tesla. These roles require excellent communication and negotiation skills.
- Specialized Technical Roles: Tesla employs specialists in various technical fields, such as Battery Engineers, Autopilot Engineers, and Robotics Engineers. These experts are responsible for developing and refining specific aspects of Tesla’s products, and their specialized skills command higher salaries.
It’s important to note that salaries can vary based on experience, location, and individual performance. While these positions generally offer higher pay, many other roles at Tesla also provide competitive compensation packages and opportunities for career growth.
How Much Does Tesla Pay Interns?
An average salary of a Tesla intern in the US is about $53,000 a year, or about $4,400 a month. Hourly, this comes down to about $25 per hour. An intern’s pay will vary depending on location and position, with California locations paying the most.
Software engineer interns are generally paid at least $28 per hour, up to $50, while other positions may get you much lower pay.
While this is average for all Tesla companies in the US combined, in California you may get a lot higher pay, of about $28 to $40+ per hour as a Tesla internship engineer. Your experience can play a role here.
If you’re interning at Tesla in Fremont, keep in mind that it’s a very expensive area, and $30 may not be enough. Luckily, Tesla often pays and helps you to relocate if necessary and will offer a housing stipend, which can cover the rent for a few months.
How Often Can You Get a Pay/Salary Increase at Tesla?
Tesla hourly employees generally get a pay increase every 6 months, compared to once a year for salaried ones. Tesla raises aren’t generally high and are usually around 1% and 2%, sometimes $1 or $2 if you’re paid hourly.
Employees can also get paid in Tesla stocks, which are generally increasing in value. The biggest raises come with promotions, which are usually every few years.
As you can see, the pay increase at Tesla happens very rarely, once or twice a year, if that. This is the general rule, but some employees get an increase every 2 years. This is a really bad option, especially this year with high inflation and raising prices.
The best and quickest way to get the most out of your pay increases is to get promoted, especially for software engineers. It takes about a year to get promoted and get a pay increase from an Entry-level Engineer (P1) to an Engineer (P2) with a substantial pay increase, and about 1 to 4 years to get promoted again to a Senior Engineer role (P3).
It is well known, though not often discussed, that if you don’t get a yearly increase at least the same level as inflation then you’re getting a cut in your pay. Typical inflation in the US is about 4%, while this year it’s about 8-9%. Most employees don’t get such pay increases, which means, most employees get pay cuts.
In Which Ways Does Tesla Pay Their Employees?
Tesla’s main way of compensation is the typical salary or hourly pay, twice a week. On top of that, you get to purchase Tesla stocks, with a discount. Additionally, Tesla employees get various discounts on merchandise, accessories, charging stations, hotels, flights, rental cars, and entertainment options.
For Tesla stock compensation, you get a choice of either RSU (restricted stock unit) or options. RSU has a vesting plan, which means that you need to remain a Tesla worker for as long as you’re not fully vested at 100%, or you may not be able to sell it.
On the other hand, Tesla discounts can be up to 35% on all kinds of merchandise, and a discount (or a free) FSD package as long as you’re a Tesla employee.
Is Tesla Fair in Its Wages?
Tesla is below average in their salaries for a tech company, but they are average for the automotive industry. Since stocks are also a form of payment, your compensation may also be moderately dependent on how Tesla stock will perform in the next few years.
Whether Tesla is fair, will depend on a lot of other factors, such as the work environment, Tesla’s work hours, the benefits Tesla offers, and what you can personally endure.
If you’re thinking of applying for a job at Tesla, you need to ask yourself if will you be able to buy a Tesla stock in a sufficient amount and will the stock valuation continue to rise in the next few years. Can you work on holidays and overtime like most other Tesla employees? Can you cope with your stocks dropping and rising in value by thousands of dollars in value?
If you think all these factors require a much higher salary, then Tesla is unfair. If you’re OK with this, and you don’t mind the extra work, then it’s fair and you’re a good fit for Tesla.
How Does Tesla’s Pay Compare to Other Tech Companies?
Tesla’s pay structure is competitive with other tech companies in the industry. According to a 2021 report by Glassdoor, the average salary for a Tesla employee is around $94,000 per year, which is higher than the national average of $72,000 for tech workers. The report also shows that Tesla’s salaries are comparable to other prominent tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google.
However, it’s important to note that pay can vary significantly based on job title, location, and experience. For example, a Senior Software Engineer at Tesla can earn an average salary of around $141,000 per year, while a Production Associate might earn an average of $20 per hour.
Overall, while pay can vary based on individual factors, Tesla’s compensation packages are competitive with other tech companies in the industry.
How Many Tesla Workers are Salaried vs Hourly?
A few months ago, Elon Musk has announced that Tesla is letting go about 10% of its salaried workforce over the coming months, while they’ll be increasing the hourly ones. At that time, Tesla had about 99,000 employees in total, with the workforce that was split between roughly 66% hourly workers and 33% salaried.
Taking that into account, we can confidently say that Tesla has between 29,000 and 33,000 salaried employees, compared to at least 66,000 hourly ones (though the number is now probably much closer to 70,000).
FAQs
Does Tesla Pay Weekly, Biweekly, or Monthly?
For both salaried and hourly employees in the US, Tesla pays biweekly for all of its locations. This includes Interns, who are paid biweekly as well. The only employees who are paid weekly are the ones with the temp service.
Does Tesla Pay for Holidays and Sick Days?
Tesla employees get paid most of the holidays. They are paid double, and this includes about 7 to 9 paid holidays per year. Most employees don’t have to work on Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, but many engineers do. Employees also get about 10 to 15 paid sick days per year.
What is Tesla starting pay in Texas?
According to The Verge, Tesla’s entry-level positions in Texas start at $35,000. However, the average Tesla salary ranges from approximately $32,114 per year for Sign Language Interpreter to $151,170 per year for Director of HR in Texas.
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FAQs
How much do Tesla employees get paid? ›
Hourly pay at Tesla Motors ranges from an average of $17.45 to $36.68 an hour. Tesla Motors employees with the job title Tool and Die Maker make the most with an average hourly rate of $35.46, while employees with the title Automobile Service Advisor make the least with an average hourly rate of $17.80.
How often do Tesla employees get paid? ›Employees at Tesla, are paid biweekly.
Who gets paid the most at Tesla? ›Salaries at Tesla Motors range from an average of $71,280 to $148,159 a year. Tesla Motors employees with the job title Staff Software Engineer make the most with an average annual salary of $151,873, while employees with the title Production Supervisor make the least with an average annual salary of $79,073.
How often does Tesla give raises? ›Based on feedback from 22 Tesla employees, the majority of them reported they received a raise Every year. Compared to all the departments at Tesla, 83% of employees on the Engineering team received a raise Every year, while 67% of employees on the Product team provided the same answer.
Does Tesla pay good money? ›Tesla pays $108,037 per year on average compared to General Motors which pays $79,461.
Do Tesla employees get paid well? ›The average Tesla salary ranges from approximately $40,790 per year for Warehouse Worker to $165,562 per year for Site Reliability Engineer. Average Tesla hourly pay ranges from approximately $17.00 per hour for Test Operator to $45.94 per hour for Die Cast Engineer.
Is it hard getting a job at Tesla? ›Yes, it is very hard to get a job at Tesla.
However, this does not mean you should give up hope. You just need to understand that Tesla seeks out the most qualified and exceptional candidates. Tesla positions are very competitive, so you have to be ready to stand out among the best.
- Health and Family. Medical, dental and vision coverage. A confidential mental wellness program. ...
- Pay and Compensation. Competitive starting wage, 401(k) and financial planning. ...
- Unique Perks. Discounted accessories and upgrades, including free Full Self-Driving Capability option package.
Tesla has great employee retention with staff members usually staying with the company for 3.7 years.
Do you get a Tesla if you work for Tesla? ›Many people ask whether Tesla employees get a discount on Tesla cars or if they are given a Tesla car when joining the company. The simple answer is 'no. ' However, according to That Tesla Channel, employees are sometimes offered a company car to share among a group of workers or use as a personal vehicle.
What is Tesla employee discount? ›
Employees of Tesla are entitled to receive a discount on the purchase of a new Tesla vehicle, which can be as much as 6% off the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). Everyone who works for the company is eligible for this discount, regardless of their position or length of time with the company.
What is the overtime policy for Tesla? ›All overtime must be voluntary. Workers shall be allowed at least one day off every seven days, defined as a rest period of at least 24 consecutive hours every seven days. Suppliers must keep employee working hour and pay records in accordance with local and national laws and provide records to Tesla upon request.
Does Tesla give signing bonus? ›Tesla Bonuses
A survey by Comparably found that 50 percent of the 12 Tesla employees surveyed received a signing bonus ranging between $1,000 and $5,000. Further employee reviews suggested that employees with a master's degree can receive up to $10,000 in signing bonuses.
Tesla has decided to cancel any employee bonuses tied to its quarterly delivery quotas. The automaker is also raising base salaries for sales and delivery employees to compensate for the bonuses going away.
How much does Tesla match 401k? ›Tesla Inc., Palo Alto, Calif., added a matching contribution to its 401(k) plan, effective in January. The automaker announced in its 10-K filing Monday that in January, it began matching 50% of each employees' contributions to the Tesla Inc.
Is it worth it to work in Tesla? ›How satisfied are employees working at Tesla? 64% of Tesla employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated Tesla 2.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.3 for culture and values and 3.7 for career opportunities.
Is Tesla job worth it? ›Tesla employees, as expected, make good money. However, it depends mainly on what position you work in. Similar to how Apple has lower-paying retail jobs, Tesla has many blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and facilities management where the salaries don't come close to those for employees in white-collar positions.
Does Tesla give stock to employees? ›What is the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and am I required to participate and enroll in ESPP? ESPP is a program that allows employees of Tesla to purchase company stock at a discount. No, this is an optional benefit. Enrollment is completely voluntary.
Are employees happy at Tesla? ›This includes specific ratings of their executive team, CEO, and manager. Employees at Tesla are generally satisfied with their total compensation at Tesla, which includes a combination of pay, stock and equity, and benefits. Overall, employees at Tesla are pleased with their team.
Why is Tesla pay so low? ›Originally Answered: Why is Tesla Motor's pay so low? The supply of engineers willing to work at Tesla is very high, driving down the clearing price below market.
Does Tesla pay better than other companies? ›
Tesla's median pay is 81% more than that of the median American, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In 2016, the latest year for which data is available, the median American made $31,099.
Is it better to work at Apple or Tesla? ›Apple scored higher in 10 areas: Overall Rating, Culture & Values, Diversity & Inclusion, Work-life balance, Senior Management, Compensation & Benefits, Career Opportunities, CEO Approval, Recommend to a friend and Positive Business Outlook.
Is Tesla a stressful job? ›At Tesla, 89 percent of employees report that they feel that their work makes the world a better place, as do 92 percent of SpaceX workers. Eighty-eight percent of SpaceX employees call their job "fairly" or "extremely stressful." Tesla reports the second-highest stress, at 70 percent.
What does it take to get hired at Tesla? ›- Recruiter Phone Screening.
- Online Assessment.
- Hiring Manager Phone Interview.
- On-Site Interview Panel.
- Application Results (Job Offer or No Offer)
Vacation Program: Tesla offers regular full-time employees and part-time employees who work 20 hours per week are eligible for PTO immediately and accrue PTO at 1.25 days per month (for a total of 15 days per calendar year).
Do Tesla employees get free food? ›Coffee, granola bars, cereal, water and soda. Free lunches once a month or so.
What is Tesla baby program? ›Tesla Babies is a program that provides Tesla parents with resources, tools, helpful tips and fun gifts as you navigate the arrival of a new family member, in addition to support when you transition back to work.
How long is lunch break at Tesla? ›Lunch periods at Tesla Motors are in 30-minute segments. This means that if you are wanting to take lunch, you are entitled to one every 5 hours of working time.
How many people are layoff from Tesla? ›Tesla lays off about 200 Autopilot workers and closes a California office as Musk staff cuts spread. A Tesla leaves a Supercharger after recharging its battery on March 10, 2022 in San Bruno, Calif.
How long are Tesla interviews? ›How Long Does the Tesla Interview Process Take? The interview process can last about two weeks or extend for a month or two. It entirely depends on the position that you are applying for and how urgently the company is hiring.
What holidays do Tesla employees get off? ›
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What holidays do Tesla employees get off? A: Reports indicate that Tesla workers get a standard holiday vacation package of ten days per year, which includes time off for observed holidays such as Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas.
Do Tesla employees get free autopilot? ›This question is actually a little tricky to answer. The current answer to this question is, unfortunately, no. Tesla employees do not currently receive the Full Self-Driving package for free on their Tesla vehicles.
How much does it cost to work on a Tesla? ›Your total five-year cost would be $1,410. That makes Tesla maintenance costs pretty low, but there's a chance real-life prices could be higher, too. Dividing that by five shows that people might spend about $282 per year on average to maintain their Teslas.
How does Elon Musk reward his employees? ›Elon Musk is known for his ambitious projects, and SpaceX is no exception. After succeeding in reducing the cost of rocket launches, he wanted to ensure that his employees were rewarded for their hard work and dedication. So, he set up a three-day paid vacation for all of SpaceX's employees.
Does Tesla discount cars? ›In California, a Model 3 variant in inventory was priced at $42,060, a discount of $2,680 to the price of newly ordered cars, according to its website. That is double the $1,300 discount on Model 3 cars offered less than two weeks ago. Tesla also resumed discounts on some Model Ys of nearly $600 off each.
Does Tesla pay for lunch break? ›Tesla Motors employees working more than 5 hours per day are entitled to an unpaid meal period of at least 30 minutes.
How much is Tesla overtime pay? ›Indeed's survey asked over 1,335 current and former employees what the overtime policy was for their role at Tesla. The most popular answer was . When asked about overtime rates, 69% said that overtime was paid at time and a half, or 1.5 times the hourly rate. Learn more about benefits at Tesla.
What is the average signing bonus? ›A typical sign on bonus for entry-level non salaried positions is $5,000.00 – $10,000.00. The typical signing bonus for salaried and executive roles is between 10-20% of the employee's base pay but can be much higher depending on the industry and company.
Does Tesla pay monthly? ›Your monthly installment payments with Tesla Finance LLC for your vehicle loan can be made conveniently in the Tesla app. You can also enroll in paperless billing, make payments and manage your billing information.
Do you negotiate with Tesla? ›Unfortunately, Tesla does not offer price negotiation options when you're purchasing a new vehicle. You'll have to pay the vehicle price set by Tesla if you want to purchase the vehicle new. Of course, you can always opt for a used Tesla instead.
Does Tesla pay for college? ›
Tesla pays you to go through the twelve-week course. The Tesla START Program pay is $9.46 per hour, students will receive this payment as a stipend. In addition to receiving this payment, Tesla is committing to place eligible graduates at a Tesla Service Center.
How much is the employee Christmas bonus? ›It is commonly assumed to expect somewhere between two percent and five percent of your salary.
How much does the average employee get for Christmas bonus? ›The often-assumed rule is to expect 2% to 5% of your salary. An employer may also base the bonus amount by offering a varying percentage of the employee's salary.
Is 6% a good 401k match? ›The Bottom Line
Many employers match as much as 50 cents on the dollar, on up to 6% of your salary. Most advisors recommend contributing enough to get the maximum match. Turning down free money doesn't make sense unless the fund is so bad that you're losing most of it to fees and substandard returns.
One of the most common questions asked when it comes to 401(k) plans is what is the maximum amount an employer can contribute on a 401(k). The answer is the employer can match up to 6% of the employee's contribution. This matching amount would be repeated each year, but is subject to change.
What is the work culture at Tesla? ›Tesla employees are encouraged to work hard and smart while taking necessary breaks in-between to prevent a mental shutdown. The culture at Tesla also empowers teams to work closely together and experiment with new things, yet keeping them aligned with the business goals.
How many breaks do Tesla employees get? ›30 minute lunc and 2 15 minute breaks.
How much do Tesla employees get off? ›Employees of Tesla are entitled to receive a discount on the purchase of a new Tesla vehicle, which can be as much as 6% off the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). Everyone who works for the company is eligible for this discount, regardless of their position or length of time with the company.
Can I get a Tesla with a 650 credit score? ›The company doesn't list a minimum credit score requirement for a Tesla auto loan or lease. However, borrowers with good or excellent credit have a higher chance of qualifying and getting a lower interest rate.
Can you get a Tesla with 500 credit score? ›What credit score do I need to finance a Tesla? Tesla does not state a minimum credit score for financing. However, as with other brands, you will have much better luck securing a lower APR if you have a better score. Try aiming for a credit score of 720 or higher to get the best possible rate.
How much is the average Tesla monthly payment? ›
The full lease as specified on Tesla's official website is $399 per month for 36 months with $4,500 due at signing. It includes the $1,390 destination fee, but not taxes and other fees.
How much is overtime pay at Tesla? ›Indeed's survey asked over 1,360 current and former employees what the overtime policy was for their role at Tesla. The most popular answer was . When asked about overtime rates, 69% said that overtime was paid at time and a half, or 1.5 times the hourly rate. Learn more about benefits at Tesla.
Do Tesla employees get a car? ›Many people ask whether Tesla employees get a discount on Tesla cars or if they are given a Tesla car when joining the company. The simple answer is 'no. ' However, according to That Tesla Channel, employees are sometimes offered a company car to share among a group of workers or use as a personal vehicle.
Does Tesla give you rides to work? ›BIKE TO WORK
Payments will appear on the second paycheck of the following month in which you biked to work. Simply get your bike tagged, register your tag, and ride past a machine at least once a day to log your ride. In addition to these programs, we offer free parking and EV charging to all Tesla employees.
A: Yes, the holidays that Tesla employees are given off are typically paid.