SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
1–10 of 31 posts
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#2They're ignoring equity compensation, which accounts for most of a senior engineer's income at a California tech company.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#3I love seeing so many people re-package a news piece based on numbeo's cost of living model which is incredibly flawed and doesn't account for the wide variance of the cost of rent depending on whether one is single, is willing to live with roommates, is willing to deal with a longer commute, etc.
Trying to develop a salary + cost of living model that doesn't take into account one's personal priorities and preferences is foolhardy. And the piece Hired wrote did exactly that.
News flash: not everyone who lives in NYC or SF is paying $3000 a month in rent. Many of my friends in NYC are paying $800-1200 for a room in Brooklyn with a 25-35 minute commute on the subway. My friends in SF tell me that they pay more but certainly in the 1000-2000 range not the 2000-3000 range that's always quoted.
Get a significant other and move in together and you can split that in half.
But yes, if you want to live alone, 5 minutes walk from Mission Dolores park in SF or bring a family into Palo Alto then the bay is the worst paying place for you as a software engineer.
On the other hand, if you're willing to commute, or willing to have roommates, cook at home instead buying into the myth that you _have_ to go get brunch at some $12 avocado toast cafe, then you'll likely save more money in the long run in SF or NYC than in the Midwest, and yes, after cost of living and after tax. Unless during your job search you find yourself in the enviable position of finding salary offers in the midwest that are very close to the same salary offers you get in the high COL cities. If you do find that though then by all means live in the midwest. And those situations do exist but it's just that there are far fewer $100,000 jobs in Des Moines, IA than in Brooklyn, NY.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#4They're ignoring equity compensation, which accounts for most of a senior engineer's income at a California tech company.
Uh, not until they're vested and exercise their options.
Grants are really not that common.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#5They're ignoring equity compensation, which accounts for most of a senior engineer's income at a California tech company.
Which might account for most of their income. It also might turn into a tax nightmare and then when the company implodes, an even more ugly mess.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#6They're ignoring equity compensation, which accounts for most of a senior engineer's income at a California tech company.
Uh, not until they're vested and exercise their options. Grants are really not that common.
You're thinking of startups options. The OP is referring to stock compensation.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#7If I were a young software developer solely focused on saving as much money as possible, I would: move to SF in a heartbeat, work for Facebook, Google, or Amazon, pick a mission-critical team that exposed me to systems at massive scale, and live in a van a pleasant 5-10 minute bike ride from the office. After I felt comfortable I'd start to consult on the side on weekends for up to $53k of annual tax-free solo 401k sheltered income. Life doesn't present a ton of these "sell picks and shovels to gold miners" opportunities but this is definitely one of them.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#8If I were a young software developer solely focused on saving as much money as possible, I would: move to SF in a heartbeat, work for Facebook, Google, or Amazon, pick a mission-critical team that exposed me to systems at massive scale, and live in a van a pleasant 5-10 minute bike ride from the office. After I felt comfortable I'd start to consult on the side on weekends for up to $53k of annual tax-free solo 401k s…
Stupid advice. Not everything that happens is a choice, you can't just pick a team at Google, and you can't just magically become a profitable consultant on the side.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#9I love seeing so many people re-package a news piece based on numbeo's cost of living model which is incredibly flawed and doesn't account for the wide variance of the cost of rent depending on whether one is single, is willing to live with roommates, is willing to deal with a longer commute, etc. Trying to develop a salary + cost of living model that doesn't take into account one's personal priorities and preference…
Not exclusive to the Midwest. Just move to RTP.
Re: SF Is One of the Worst-Paying Places in the US for Software Engineers
#10I love seeing so many people re-package a news piece based on numbeo's cost of living model which is incredibly flawed and doesn't account for the wide variance of the cost of rent depending on whether one is single, is willing to live with roommates, is willing to deal with a longer commute, etc. Trying to develop a salary + cost of living model that doesn't take into account one's personal priorities and preference…
[deleted]