Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level • Hacker News Board

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#181

Post by TomVDB » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 7:56 AM UTC

milesskorpen wrote: post #70

pxx wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At Facebook, Google, and Snap, at least, the RSUs start vesting immediately (no cliff) and are as good as cash as the stock is liquid. It's not very clear what your distinction is.

Even if liquid, these salaries probably reflect people vesting stock from years ago - and the high end would include people vesting stock offered at a much lower valuation. In this kind of ranking there’d be a bias towards companies with rapidly growing share prices ... and remember that last performance is no indicator of future returns.

When I compare the numbers for my level, I see a salary that is more or less in line with mine, and I see RSU compensation that is in line with the number of RSUs that I received in 2019.

In other words: it does not take into account stock appreciation.

I don't know whether or not that's generally true, but from where I sit, the numbers seem sound and are not inflated due to a rising stock market.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#182

Post by thecleaner » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 7:59 AM UTC

zuhayeer wrote: post #175

hoorayimhelping wrote: post #164

It would be really nice to see more companies that aren't the top 5. What do 6-20 look like? I'd like to know when companies start getting to average pay levels. Is it only the top 5 companies that pay this? Or do the top 50 companies all pay really high? Is that data even available, or is it just that this represents some of the most attractive offer letters at top of bands for some of the most well funded startups…

We have plans to publish more information, but for now you can view salary information for a number of other companies on our main website: http://levels.fyi

I love levels.fyi. Will it be possible to specify which companies do or do not sponsor visas ?

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#183

Post by ameen » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:01 AM UTC

chao- wrote: post #98

saagarjha wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious: you've chosen to tie this pretty closely to your real world identity. Aren't you concerned at all that a company that you're beholden to and is willing to underpay you will just let you go if they find this?

It sounds like (guessing based on phrasing) ameen is the only, or only senior, technical staff member? Why would they let them go? If I were a cartoon-villain, mustache-twirling higher-up for said company, what this post tells me is that the situation is currently working, that my employee knows the score, and they don't seem liable to do anything about it except complain on the internet. In a really evil way, wouldn…

Totally, nail on the head. And folks from my company don’t really frequent HN (although I wish I worked for such a company).

I’ve learned a great deal about how not to run a business, treating employees right, delegating tasks/responsibilities, designing for automation, etc. I do hope when I get my green card to start my own startup (lifelong goal of mine) and try to set an example of everything I see wrong with our industry.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#184

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:03 AM UTC

opportune wrote: post #76

It makes me feel bad how many people see these figures and immediately start trying to find ways to rationalize why they must be overstated. Aside from some of these companies not being public (so those RSUs are not very liquid) or backloading vesting, they’re pretty accurate IME. The main thing I would point out is that the years of experience guideline is a bit optimistic. Many engineers get downleveled moving into…

[deleted]

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#185

Post by ameen » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:04 AM UTC

saagarjha wrote: post #83

ameen wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know. I get paid lower than an entry level engineer while managing, developing and maintaining the entire web presence for our company - public site, e-commerce store, etc. I get paid 1/50th of what the company made in e-commerce sales (similar amounts through other channels). I can’t quit and prepare for a job interview as I need to maintain visa status. And my workload averages ~60h/week.

I'm curious: you've chosen to tie this pretty closely to your real world identity. Aren't you concerned at all that a company that you're beholden to and is willing to underpay you will just let you go if they find this?

Not really, while the status quo isn’t the best - I trust my abilities at getting into a similar level company in the industry.

I do doubt my abilities at getting into FAANG without preparing for interviews just because so much of them are just not part of my day to day.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#186

Post by ajknzhol » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:04 AM UTC

Is there a similar comparison available for Germany?

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#187

Post by nrp » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:06 AM UTC

TomVDB wrote: post #166

nrp wrote: post #32

It’s worth nothing that most of these numbers are inflated from share price increases boosting the value of RSUs vesting over 4 years. New offers at the higher levels from those companies are unlikely to be that high unless you are coming in at the top of the pay band for the level.

The way I understand it, it's the number of RSU that are offered each year, at the time of them being offered. If so, then the movement of the stock price is irrelevant.

Per zuhayeer’s comments elsewhere in the thread, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#188

Post by govg » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:09 AM UTC

burfog wrote: post #172

shuckles wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let’s say you’re the median American SWE getting paid $80k a year. You’re saying you wouldn’t move to SFBA for less than $800k/yr in total compensation? I find that hard to imagine.

I can see what it costs. Getting $800k/yr means a house of about $1,600,000 should be affordable, but that gets you trash. Getting a "house" that PHYSICALLY TOUCHES the neighbor's house will go for more than that in a semi-tolerable San Francisco neighborhood. That is substandard living conditions.

How do you afford housing wherever you make $80k? Unless literally everything comparable costs 10x in SF, there's no logical way you can say 10x is the mark at which SF wages are pegged at.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#189

Post by Pandabob » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:10 AM UTC

gamesbrainiac wrote: post #100

Looks like us over here in Europe are getting shafted. Even if you adjust for living expenses, European engineers are grossly underpaid.

I might be wrong here, but I think the biggest reason for this is that Europe hasn't really produced a tech company in the past ~25 years, with revenues (and profits) amounting to anything close to those of the FAANGs.

OTOH, there is the separate issue of FAANGs not compensating their European workers as well as they do the ones working in the US.

Re: Top Paying Tech Companies by SWE Level

#190

Post by gnrlst » Mon, Jan 06, 2020, 8:13 AM UTC

What I find completely demotivating is working for a FAANG in Europe, and seeing the massive disparity between US colleagues. You can argue cost of living is different, healthcare is public blablabla, but recruiters have told me straight out: we dont adjust for cost of living, we adjust for market rate. Therefore they dont give a rats ass about how much it costs to live in a specific country, they just pay based on the average going rate. Unfortunately, some EU countries (e.g. IT) have very low purchasing power due to stagnant wages and inflated prices. So we're getting the shit end of the stick.