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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

#231
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?

You have to account for tax differences the numbers are pre-tax

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#232
post #121

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…

The key is to work remotely for a SV company but live in a cheap small town (this is a humblebrag). Higher salary, no Valley real estate madness, no freeway nightmares, placid country bumpkin existence preserved. I do have to bite the bullet and travel down to that blighted land a few times a year though.

Yup, works well for me too

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#233
post #121

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…

The key is to work remotely for a SV company but live in a cheap small town (this is a humblebrag). Higher salary, no Valley real estate madness, no freeway nightmares, placid country bumpkin existence preserved. I do have to bite the bullet and travel down to that blighted land a few times a year though.

Yes, but then you have to deal with the SV company. No amount of money is worth dealing with most of those companies.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, there is a lot about costs of living. The valley is $4000 a month to rent a flat.

I see people quoting those amounts for all of valley but South Bay isn't $4000 for a flat, SF is. In MTV, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose 1 Bed starts from 2k, 2 Bed from 2.5k and 3 Bed from 3k. It gets cheaper as you go South. If you want better quality/newer apartments, add $500.

True, SF is not "the valley". 4K a month is ridiculous for rent; for reference I work in MTV, live in Sunnyvale.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#235
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree. Engineers outside the Valley often list the cost of living as a negative, but coupled with the insane amount of salary leverage (in part because of the COL), I never got financially ahead until I moved to the Bay Area. You're a King in SV as a software engineer.

You're a king? So you live in a mansion? I live in the midwest, wife doesn't work, 10 years experience - we live in a 4k sqft house in the best school district in the state about 25 minutes from the city. How much does that cost in SV?

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Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Same, however my company is wanting me to relocate to the Bay Area. For a bit of background, I have been in Austin for about 7 years, and coding professionally for almost 3 at this company. This has been my first full time job out of college and I have really enjoyed working for them. The cost of living adjustment they're offering is not what I was hoping it would be. After you take out California state taxes, it is…

I'm 32 and recently married. I also have two large dogs. SF is completely out of the question for me. If I was younger and unmarried or had a working spouse I'd be more interested in trying it out purely for the experience of being out there (I'm told it's fun).

Having said that. Aside from the financial decision I have so little interest in being inside the giant tech bubble that most of my peers out there seem to live in. The vast majority of my friends in Austin are not in tech and I like it that way.

I totally understand your situation though. It's tough if you plan to stay at the same company and want to move up. Do you think you could negotiate a bigger bump for the move? It's one thing to be able to technically afford to survive out there. It's another entirely to be out there for 5+ years and then leave and realize you have basically nothing saved.

Oh, last point. I obviously have no idea what your relationships are like at your company but could you possibly make it clear to some people above you what your concerns are about the move and sort of get an idea for how likely it is you could move up and how long that would take? For instance if your manager thinks it's possible you could be in some new position in 2 years that pays a much better salary maybe it makes sense. Of course they cant guarantee that to you but you could judge the situation yourself.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#237
post #7

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

California is a great place to start your career, if you're already established then there's less incentive to move.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#239

This is a huge contrast to the south and particularly in Florida. I'm a project lead in Florida, started programming when I was 8, have won multiple national competitions, and now a project lead with people working under me (most that apply have an MS degree) but as a government worker making only 58K. I work for the government because in this area of the country there have been problems with finding companies that h…

Being a fellow South Floridian I feel your pain and I would say it sounds like you're being underpaid for the position you're in currently but that's the story of Tech in Florida I think we can all agree on that based on equal experiences hopefully?

In my own experience it's been pretty hit or miss as you can find very wide ranging salaried jobs but it's also dependent on location here as well, some areas might be better than others as far as where the actual wealth lies thus the big cities usually seem to hold more value and wealth, you might be able to get lucky and find something in between the big cities though.

Also cost of living in Florida is relatively low but it is also raising so it's not easy when you start off with a low base that should really be higher when you compare and contrast positions elsewhere... especially surprising in the government area where you think they would staff people at least with wages people can feel financially comfortable with and not just to be able to live week to week based on their paycheck.

Re: Silicon Valley Software Engineer Salaries by Experience Level

#240
post #28

I understand that it’s hard to compare non-salary compensation. But these figures give the impression that compensation for a Bay Area software engineer is shockingly lower than the reality. RSUs and bonuses at established companies will easily double your take home pay. Even the salary figures themselves look low and are probably heavily skewed by an overrepresentation of underpaying startups. My base salary ~4 year…

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