My Salary Progression in Tech • Hacker News Board

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#221

Post by kilbuz » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:24 AM UTC

pkaye wrote: post #183

salarythrow1234 wrote: post #166

My progression: 23 - 45K (University sysadmin, east coast) 26 - 60k (University research systems programmer, east coast) 31 - 65k (SWE, small IHV, remote) 32-42 -- incremental raises up to $145K (senior SWE, same company) 43 - 425k (Senior SWE, Google, Mountain View CA) 44 - 390k (Senior SWE, Google, Mountain View CA) 45 - 350k (Senior SWE, Netflix, Remote) 46 - 400k (Senior SWE, Netflix, Remote) 47 - 525k (Senior SW…

Do these amounts included RSU, bonus, etc? I'm curious what the base salary would be.

Netflix's salary philosophy is "top of personal market" and they are almost all base. If they want you, they aim not to lose you because you got a higher offer.

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#222

Post by soulnothing » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:24 AM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #144

soulnothing wrote: post #141

Honest question has anyone else seen salary decreases. I peaked at ~190k w2 contractor so no benefits. But after death march after death march and canceled projects. I got down to ~105. One of my biggest stress right now is due to money. Contributed to by a foreclosure that has a monthly payment. I've been east and west coast and tried FAANG, but unless I waited the vesting it was a drastic pay cut, and the midst of…

Most FAANGs pay well even without vested stock, Amazon in particular relies heavily on stock for compensation but provides bonuses the first couple of years to compensate.

I had made a comment in another thread, where I think my education hurt me, associates. I took about a 50K pay cut up front to go a FAANG. That came with a demotion as well. So I can see the pay cut not equaling responsibility. But I was in a immediate position and didn't have a choice to say no.

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#223

Post by minhaz23 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:25 AM UTC

fitech wrote: post #73

Created new account to share since my other could easily trace back to me... Maybe this isn’t super relevant since this is mostly about tech but I’ve found my technology skills are what contribute to give me a huge advantage, even in finance. All figures in USD. All finance jobs are in research. 23: 50k - tech consulting business 23: 90k - same. Relocate to NYC 24: 110k - negotiated at consulting company 24: 160k = 1…

Could you elaborate or expand on the business?

This is your business or you're just someone that got in at the beginning? Like a startup or a division of the company, you were originally at?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#224

Post by switch007 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:26 AM UTC

salaryFoo wrote: post #136

About three years after graduating I stumbled into some extra freelance work a school friend passed on to me. Then got lucky again by finding myself in a well-paid (for UK) devops niche. - 2009: £1,000/yr Mostly depressed, unemployed and unmotivated. Some income from teaching English and arbitraging signup bonuses on gambling websites. Lived close to rent-free by subletting rooms in the apartment I was living in. (Sp…

I've never heard of those 18-19 London salaries. Woah! Finance though surely?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#225

Post by soulnothing » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:26 AM UTC

minhaz23 wrote: post #217

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most FAANGs pay well even without vested stock, Amazon in particular relies heavily on stock for compensation but provides bonuses the first couple of years to compensate.

What does vested stock mean exactly? You can't sell until after a certain period? If so, how long is that period?

Vest means you sign on you get 40 shares, but they become available over a delayed period. 5 vest in the first year 5 in the second 10 in the third 10 in the fourth

Vest means become available to sell or trade. You are also given stocks at bonus time. Encouraging you to stay around.

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#226

Post by minhaz23 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:28 AM UTC

DVassallo wrote: post #118

koolba wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s insane. Do you seriously expect in five years to be in better financial shape then you would have been had you stuck it out?

No. But I'm not optimizing my life to make as much money as possible. I'd like to work on my own terms, doing things that intrinsically motivate me. If I can do that while covering my family expenses, I think I would have improved my life.

Any advice for someone like me who IS trying to optimize for as much money as possible?

Being self taught, will I ever get to be as fortunate as you working at FAANG and seeing salaries and stocks like that?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#227

Post by minhaz23 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:29 AM UTC

thundergolfer wrote: post #102

throwaway0906 wrote: post #84

Didn't feel comfortable sharing on my real account, but thought some might find this interesting. Gender: male Location: east coast * 2013 - Graduated without a degree in CS. Worked at small start-up for 55k, no equity. * 2014 - Raise to 75k, 0.5% * 2015 - Raise to 85k, 1% * 2016 - Quit for a FAANG. 220k total comp. * 2017 - After 2 promos at the FAANG, ~330k. * 2018 - After good previous year, received a special sto…

Holy shit you went from $55k to $475k in 5 years with no college degree. This is a big reason I'm in tech. What a rocketing salary progression.

Would this kind of progression not be possible in finance?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#228

Post by minhaz23 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:29 AM UTC

throwaway0906 wrote: post #117

thundergolfer wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Holy shit you went from $55k to $475k in 5 years with no college degree. This is a big reason I'm in tech. What a rocketing salary progression.

I feel very, very lucky. I did graduate from college, just not with a degree that I currently use. I stumbled upon programming as a senior and loved it. While at the start up, it was easy for me to spend hours a day outside of work learning because I loved every minute of of it. But it came at the cost of hobbies and a friendship. I wouldn't describe myself as motivated by money and don't tell my family and close fri…

Any advice for others?

How did you display coding knowledge without a degree in it?

How did you get hired at a FAANG what did they like about you?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#229

Post by burlesona » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:29 AM UTC

salaryaway__ wrote: post #82

24 years as a dev (estimated - can’t remember all these ...) Mostly SFBayArea... 1995 - 30k (startup) 1996 - 40k 1997 - 60k 1998 - 100k (consulting) 1999 - 120k 2000 - 150k 2001 - 80k (dotcom crash) 2002 - 80k 2003 - 120k (bank) 2004 - 125k 2005 - 90k (startup) 2006 - 125k 2007 - 140k 2008 - 125k 2009 - 140k 2010 - 150k 2011 - 165k 2012 - 150k (contracting) 2013 - 125k 2014 - 1M (startup sold) 2015 - 60k (startup) 20…

Working as an eng manager where?

Re: My Salary Progression in Tech

#230

Post by minhaz23 » Fri, Mar 15, 2019, 4:36 AM UTC

sytelus wrote: post #211

quaffapint wrote: post #147

I see a lot of these crazy high salaries (there's nothing much higher than $150 for a sr dev around here on the east) are in SF area. Are these the exception FAANG salaries or are most companies paying such high salaries out there? It just blows my mind I can't imagine making such money as a dev and I've been doing this for a lot of years.

Median total compensation at FB is $240K and at Google $197K as per SEC filings. Folks with $1M figures are probably in top 3-5% in these companies. I would also add that if you are in bay area with $240K total comp and have family, your standard of living is probably not all that enviable. https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2019/01/15/median-p...

How can one see these compensation data's in the SEC filings themselves? Where do I look?

Are you saying some of the people here with 400-800k salaries are top 5% at a FAANG?