Meta's $290K Entry-Level Tech Jobs: No Experience Required!

A Bright Spot in a Tough Job Market

New graduates are facing a challenging labor market—entry-level roles are disappearing, managers are hesitant to hire Gen Z candidates, and AI continues to automate more jobs. However, Meta is actively seeking fresh talent and is willing to pay top dollar for bright young minds.

The $1.8 trillion technology giant has several entry-level positions available, including:

• Full-stack software engineer
• Multiple product software engineer roles

These roles don't require extensive experience. To qualify, candidates only need a bachelor's degree in relevant fields like computer science, computer engineering, or applied sciences.

What You Need to Apply

Top candidates for the full-stack and some software engineer roles should have completed a university-level course, internship, thesis, or 12 months of work in areas such as:

• PHP and Hack
• C++
• Python
• React framework
• Coding issues
• Large-scale storage infrastructure or frameworks

Another iOS software engineer role requires one year of experience in:

• Object-oriented software development
• Multithreading programming
• Linux or Unix

Lucrative Compensation and Perks

These Meta roles come with impressive salaries, ranging from $176,000 to $290,000 annually, plus bonuses, equity, and benefits. However, these are in-person positions at Meta's offices in Washington or California, so remote work is not an option.

Mark Zuckerberg's Hiring Philosophy

Candidates aiming for these competitive spots should consider what CEO Mark Zuckerberg looks for in talent. He emphasizes that skills outweigh flashy college degrees, though these entry-level roles still require a bachelor's. Zuckerberg values candidates who have mastered a skill and can apply it across various business areas at the company. He believes that the ability to learn deeply and excel in one area is highly transferable.

A Welcome Opportunity in a Bleak Market

Meta's entry-level roles are a positive development in a difficult Gen Z job market. Recent graduates were once assured that fields like computer science would lead to six-figure salaries, but AI automation has disrupted this. Employment for computer programmers has dropped to its lowest level since the 1980s, and tech companies have been reducing young staffers since 2023.

According to a Pave study, the percentage of Gen Z employees (ages 21-25) at large public tech firms like Meta fell from 15% in January 2023 to 6.8% by August 2025. This trend is also seen in private tech companies, where early-career Gen Z representation decreased from 9.3% to 6.8% during the same period.

The shift is partly due to businesses aiming to do more with less and automate human jobs, which disproportionately affects young professionals. Despite Meta's headlines for poaching AI talent with massive signing bonuses, the company has a history of focusing on university recruiting and training new graduates.