Ask HN: Senior FAANG engineer, going back to school for PhD. Is it a bad idea?

I graduated with a CS bachelors degree a few years ago and joined a FAANG right after. I joined a really cool team and I worked my way up to a senior level.

While I was in school I really liked research and I thought I could do a PhD in computer science some day. I saved up a bunch of money while working and I can easily “afford” to take a few years off to complete the PhD now. Also, with the pandemic and WFH I had some time to actually complete and send out applications to several highly ranked schools.

Now that the acceptances and interviews are slowly trickling in, I’m having some doubts about doing the PhD. I’ve heard horror stories about abusive advisors, mental health struggles, low stipends, burnout, and lack of support systems. I don’t think the PhD will boost my career too much since I’m already in a R&D role at FAANG. Of course I already knew this before sending the applications, but as decision day (April 15) gets closer I’m doubting whether my personal goal of doing a PhD is worth the $1 Million+ opportunity cost and other downsides.

A masters program isn’t typically focused on research. I don’t actually care about taking classes; I just want to do research. A thesis-based masters is just training for a PhD, so I would rather do the PhD.

I don’t know what’s next after the PhD. It could be another FAANG job, founding a startup, or really anything. A PhD definitely does not help get me there. It’s just a personal goal

I attempted something similar and I lasted about a day before it dawned upon me that an MS was really what I was after. A PhD is really a young person's game. Just as you don't attend conservatory later in life to become a performance musician, you don't "catch up" on a PhD to become a research scientist -- that boat has sailed. I know it's not what you want to hear, especially since you're already nontrivially invested.

It's sad because I probably stole a slot from some poor, smart kid from Nepal.

Completely agree. OP you can always leave after a masters and go back to FAANG