# Why do Microsoft job levels start in the high 50's instead of starting at a sane number like 1?

DevFeed: [Why do Microsoft job levels start in the high 50's instead of starting at a sane number like 1?](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/why-do-microsoft-job-levels-start-in-the-high-50-s-instead-of-starting-at-a-sane-number-like-1-31556.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20260915-00/?p=112700>)

Author: Raymond Chen

Published: 2026-09-15T14:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Raymond Chen](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/raymond-chen.md>)

Topics: [Job](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/job.md>), [Microsoft](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/microsoft.md>)

Tags: [job](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/job.md>), [microsoft](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/microsoft.md>), [old-new-thing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/old-new-thing.md>), [other](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/other.md>)

## AI overview

The article explains why Microsoft's job levels start in the high 50s. Microsoft renumbered its career levels after dividing broad levels into smaller steps, avoiding confusion between old and new level numbers.

## Source excerpt

It used to start at 1, but that was the old system. The post Why do Microsoft job levels start in the high 50's instead of starting at a sane number like 1? appeared first on The Old New Thing.