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Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

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Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#112
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really raises the question why anyone would put a software company in the Silicon Valley area. You could get cheaper and more experienced people pretty much anywhere in the world for at least 60 - 70% the price.

My compensation is roughly 40% of the lower end of any of these charts, and that's considered "not bad" in my area. This makes me think: how valuable our work is really? Do I have a job only because I'm an inexpensive alternative to the devs from the US and western Europe?

Once you take the exchange rate into account, I'm below the 2nd percentile for a senior dev. And I make a great salary for the Vancouver area.

I knew I could double my salary south of the border, but that hurts.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#113
post #14
post #7

These numbers reinforce what I think anytime someone suggests I move to California to "further my career." Fuck that.

While I agree cost of living is a tough pill to swallow in California, a salary table is irrelevant to the concept of 'furthering ones's career'. To further your career is, in fact, usually about taking something that is not financially beneficial but valuable for the experience or worldview that it imparts.

I live in Austin. I think my career will be fine here.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#115

My god this is just another universe to me. I've got 19 years on the clock doing stuff, right now extending the jenkins model to make a usable 2.0 pipeline, for a fortune 50 hiding on the new hampshire seacoast, senior-straddling-principal level and just barely squeaking out a 6 figure salary. I know it all comes out in the wash, but it just blows my mind how different money is across the country. or, i am a country…

It really raises the question why anyone would put a software company in the Silicon Valley area. You could get cheaper and more experienced people pretty much anywhere in the world for at least 60 - 70% the price.

Quantity is the problem. I'm sure there are some blindingly talented developers in New Hampshire but there's probably only a few of them and they're more than likely gainfully employed by a company that appreciates their value. Hiring an engineer for 60% of the price doesn't help when you can only fill a third of your headcount.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#116

My god this is just another universe to me. I've got 19 years on the clock doing stuff, right now extending the jenkins model to make a usable 2.0 pipeline, for a fortune 50 hiding on the new hampshire seacoast, senior-straddling-principal level and just barely squeaking out a 6 figure salary. I know it all comes out in the wash, but it just blows my mind how different money is across the country. or, i am a country…

It really raises the question why anyone would put a software company in the Silicon Valley area. You could get cheaper and more experienced people pretty much anywhere in the world for at least 60 - 70% the price.

One potential explanation is that recruiting is waaay easier when there's three other software firms within a city block of your office to recruit talent from.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#117

My god this is just another universe to me. I've got 19 years on the clock doing stuff, right now extending the jenkins model to make a usable 2.0 pipeline, for a fortune 50 hiding on the new hampshire seacoast, senior-straddling-principal level and just barely squeaking out a 6 figure salary. I know it all comes out in the wash, but it just blows my mind how different money is across the country. or, i am a country…

It really raises the question why anyone would put a software company in the Silicon Valley area. You could get cheaper and more experienced people pretty much anywhere in the world for at least 60 - 70% the price.

Not as easily. There is a reason all the banks are based in NYC. Recruitment and networking is as easy as walking across the street. The same holds for tech. Cost of hiring is extremely high no matter where you are, and it likely goes up even more when trying to recruit someone to move to the middle of the country. I mean no disrespect to middle america by that statement, I just mean that the probability of having to uproot is much higher when there are 2 companies in town vs. 200.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#119

This should probably be titled Silicon Valley startup salaries by experience level.

The salaries in this chart are too low to represent salaries in the big companies in SV. It's an average, thus non-SV market are probably lower than the chart, and SV salaries are higher.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#120
post #59

People in Europe can be envy of salaries in US. Even in London which is not cheap either it's common for dev to get around $60k annually before tax (and taxes are high). This beg to ask a question : why employeers are so reluctant to hire remote devs even within similar timezone?

The salaries in London are often much underestimated. Just like people underestimate salaries in the FANG in the valley.
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