NVIDIA closed fiscal year 2026 with 42,000 full-time employees and generated $5.14 million in revenue per worker, more than double Apple’s figure and nearly triple Microsoft’s. The chip designer added 6,000 staff over the past year, a 16.67% jump driven by AI infrastructure demand. This post covers NVIDIA’s workforce size, growth, pay structure, demographics, geographic split, turnover, and how the company stacks up against other tech giants.
NVIDIA Employee Statistics – TLDR
- NVIDIA had 42,000 full-time employees as of January 25, 2026, up 16.67% year over year.
- Revenue per employee reached $5.14 million in fiscal 2026 on $215.9 billion in total revenue.
- Fiscal 2026 turnover stayed at 3.7%, well below the 16–17% semiconductor industry average.
- Median total compensation was $301,233 in fiscal 2025, per NVIDIA’s proxy filing.
- CEO Jensen Huang holds a 98% employee approval rating on Glassdoor.
How Many Employees Does NVIDIA Have in 2026?
NVIDIA employed 42,000 full-time workers as of January 25, 2026, the close of its fiscal year 2026. The company added 6,000 staff over the past year and now operates across the United States and 37 other countries.
The largest single-year jump in the past decade came in fiscal 2021, when staff grew 37.75% on the back of the gaming and crypto-mining boom. Hiring picked up again from fiscal 2024 to support generative AI work, with 12,400 new workers added across the last two fiscal years alone.
| Fiscal Year | Total Employees | YoY Change | YoY Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 42,000 | +6,000 | 16.67% |
| 2025 | 36,000 | +6,400 | 21.62% |
| 2024 | 29,600 | +3,404 | 12.99% |
| 2023 | 26,196 | +3,723 | 16.57% |
| 2022 | 22,473 | +3,498 | 18.43% |
| 2021 | 18,975 | +5,200 | 37.75% |
| 2020 | 13,775 | +498 | 3.75% |
| 2019 | 13,277 | +1,749 | 15.17% |
| 2018 | 11,528 | +1,229 | 11.93% |
| 2017 | 10,299 | — | — |
Source: MacroTrends, StockAnalysis, Bullfincher
For context across the broader tech sector, the Google employee statistics show Alphabet’s workforce growing at 4.09% while employing roughly 4.5x as many people.
NVIDIA Revenue Per Employee
Revenue per NVIDIA worker nearly tripled in two years, climbing from $2.06 million in fiscal 2024 to $5.14 million in fiscal 2026. The data center segment alone brought in $197.3 billion in fiscal 2026, accounting for the bulk of that productivity jump.
Net income reached $120.1 billion in fiscal 2026, or roughly $2.86 million per worker. Revenue grew 65% year over year while headcount expanded only 16.67%.
| Fiscal Year | Revenue ($B) | Employees | Revenue Per Employee ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $215.9 | 42,000 | $5.14 |
| 2025 | $130.5 | 36,000 | $3.63 |
| 2024 | $60.9 | 29,600 | $2.06 |
Source: Fortune, NVIDIA Newsroom, MLQ.ai
NVIDIA Employee Compensation Breakdown
Median total compensation at NVIDIA was $301,233 in fiscal 2025, based on the company’s proxy filing. Average base salary in 2026 sat at $142,087, per PayScale.
Jensen Huang earned $49.86 million in fiscal 2025. His base salary rose to $1.5 million, a 50% jump and his first raise in a decade. Stock awards added another $38.8 million on top.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median total compensation (FY2025) | $301,233 |
| CEO total compensation (FY2025) | $49.86 million |
| CEO-to-median pay ratio | 166:1 |
| CEO base salary (FY2025) | $1.5 million |
| Average base salary (2026) | $142,087 |
| Total comp range, 25th–90th percentile | $178,806–$416,200 |
| Median total comp (self-reported) | $246,500 |
| Compensation Glassdoor rating | 4.6/5 |
Source: Entrepreneur, PayScale, Blind, Levels.fyi, Glassdoor
Base salary for a system software engineer in Santa Clara runs from $152,000 to $287,500. Senior engineering manager pay ranges from $272,000 to $431,250. The top reported package on Levels.fyi is $700,250 for a Software Engineering Manager (M5).
NVIDIA Employee Demographics: Gender and Ethnicity
About 80% of NVIDIA’s workforce is male, with women holding roughly 20% of positions. Female representation drops to 15% at the executive level and rises to 28.6% on the board.
Asian and Indian employees account for about 50% of the US workforce, followed by White employees at 30%. Hispanic/Latino representation reached 5.3% in 2024, and Black/African American representation sat at 1.6%.
| Demographic Category | Share of US Workforce |
|---|---|
| Male | ~80% |
| Female | ~20% |
| Asian/Indian | ~50% |
| White | ~30% |
| Hispanic/Latino | ~5.3% |
| Black/African American | ~1.6% |
| Female executives | ~15% |
| Board of Directors — female | 28.6% |
Source: SQ Magazine, WEEX, DiversIQ
Where NVIDIA Employees Work: Geographic Distribution
The Americas hold about half of NVIDIA’s workforce. The Bay Area alone houses more than 5,700 staff, with the Santa Clara headquarters accommodating over 5,500 people across its two buildings.
India employs more than 2,300 workers across Bengaluru and Pune, focused on engineering and R&D. EMEA covers another 19.2%, spread across the UK, Germany, Finland, Israel, and other markets.
| Region | Share of Workforce |
|---|---|
| Americas (primarily US) | ~50% |
| EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) | ~19.2% |
| Asia-Pacific (excluding India) | ~16.8% |
| India | ~14% |
Source: SQ Magazine, NVIDIA corporate filings
For broader context on how AI firms allocate talent globally, see the future of work statistics for 2026, which track R&D concentration in North America and India.
NVIDIA Employee Turnover and Retention
NVIDIA’s turnover rate sat at 3.7% in fiscal 2026, well below the 16–17% semiconductor industry average. The rate dropped from 5.3% in fiscal 2023 and ticked up slightly from 2.5% in fiscal 2025.
Stock grants vesting over four years drive most of the retention. NVIDIA shares are up roughly 781% since early 2023, so unvested equity acts as a strong reason to stay. Current and former employees describe the dynamic as golden handcuffs.
| Fiscal Year | NVIDIA Turnover | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3.7% | ~16–17% |
| 2025 | 2.5% | ~16.4% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | ~17.7% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | ~13.8% |
Source: TheStreet, SQ Magazine, SaaStr, HR Grapevine
NVIDIA runs a flexible location policy rather than a strict return-to-office mandate, a factor retention analysts have flagged as a hiring advantage. For wider patterns, see remote work statistics in the US.
NVIDIA Employee Satisfaction and Workplace Rankings
NVIDIA carries a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Glassdoor across 3,855 reviews. The company placed #3 on Glassdoor’s 2026 Best Places to Work list and #1 on the 2025 Best-Led Companies ranking. Jensen Huang’s 98% CEO approval rating ranks among the highest tracked by Glassdoor.
Reviewers cite technology focus, compensation, and culture as positives. Common criticisms point to heavy workloads during product cycles and a slower promotion ladder than at some peers.
How NVIDIA’s Employee Statistics Compare to Other Tech Giants
NVIDIA’s 42,000 staff put it well behind most Big Tech firms by headcount. Apple has 166,000 employees, Microsoft 228,000, and Alphabet 190,820. Yet NVIDIA’s $5.14 million revenue per worker is more than double Apple’s and nearly triple Microsoft’s.
The fabless model explains most of the gap. NVIDIA designs chips but outsources fabrication to TSMC, keeping headcount lean while revenue scales with AI infrastructure spending. AMD has about 31,000 employees but generates roughly a sixth of NVIDIA’s revenue per worker.
| Company | Employees | Revenue Per Employee |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | 42,000 | $5.14M |
| AMD | ~31,000 | ~$0.79M |
| Alphabet/Google | 190,820 | ~$1.81M |
| Microsoft | 228,000 | ~$1.17M |
| Apple | 166,000 | ~$2.35M |
| Meta | 78,865 | ~$2.05M |
Source: SEC filings via MacroTrends, StockAnalysis, TradingView
For comparison against the broader US labor market, where the median annual wage sat at $67,340 in 2025, see employment in the United States statistics. Retail comparisons are covered in the Walmart employee statistics.
FAQs
How many employees does NVIDIA have in 2026?
NVIDIA had 42,000 full-time employees as of January 25, 2026, the end of its fiscal year 2026. That’s a 16.67% increase from 36,000 a year earlier, per company filings.
What is NVIDIA’s revenue per employee?
NVIDIA generated $5.14 million in revenue per employee in fiscal 2026, calculated from $215.9 billion in total revenue and 42,000 staff. The figure is more than double Apple’s and nearly triple Microsoft’s.
What is the average salary at NVIDIA?
The average base salary at NVIDIA is $142,087 in 2026, per PayScale. Median total compensation including stock and bonuses was $301,233 in fiscal 2025, based on NVIDIA’s own proxy filing with the SEC.
What is NVIDIA’s employee turnover rate?
NVIDIA’s turnover rate was 3.7% in fiscal 2026, far below the 16–17% semiconductor industry average. Four-year stock vesting schedules and a roughly 781% stock price gain since 2023 have kept attrition low.
How much does Jensen Huang earn?
Jensen Huang earned $49.86 million in total compensation in fiscal 2025. His base salary was $1.5 million, with $38.8 million in stock awards, $6 million in non-equity incentives, and $3.5 million for security and personal costs.
