How Many People Work at Microsoft? Headcount and Employee Trends

Microsoft employs more than 250,000 people worldwide. Recent workforce data shows 7,321 hires and 7,992 departures, suggesting relatively stable overall headcount. The company maintains a diverse talent base that supports its software, cloud, hardware, and services businesses across numerous markets.

Engineering is Microsoft’s largest department with roughly 104,000 employees, representing just over 40 % of total headcount and underscoring the importance of product development and cloud infrastructure to the business. Business Management (about 16 %) and Sales & Support (around 12 %) follow, reflecting the scale required to market, sell, and deliver Microsoft’s broad portfolio. Marketing & Product roles account for nearly 8 %, while Finance & Administration, Information Technology, Program & Project Management, Operations, and Human Resources collectively make up the remaining share. Hiring and attrition levels are fairly evenly spread, indicating balanced staffing across functions.

Microsoft’s workforce is highly distributed, with the majority categorized under “Other” locations, highlighting a large remote or globally dispersed employee base. The largest named hub is Redmond, WA—home to corporate headquarters—hosting just over 13,000 employees. Nearby Seattle and Bellevue add more than 17,000 additional employees, signaling a strong Pacific Northwest presence. Outside the United States, significant clusters operate from Bengaluru and Hyderabad in India, while major U.S. metros such as New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Kirkland, WA each support thousands of employees, illustrating Microsoft’s global footprint and regional specialization.