What would the salary range be for programmers (LAMP platform), to be hired by a S.F. startup?
What amount of equity (if any) would be included in the job offer?
Other than salary.com, what websites have this sort of information?
Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
1–10 of 17 posts
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#21) Whatever you feel you're worth.
2) Whatever you feel you're worth.
The limiting factor in your compensation is usually your own reluctance to ask for "way too much".
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#3Need a little more information. Is this a startup without any programmers who is looking for an integrated team member? Or is there already a lot of technical people on staff and you're just looking to offload some of the work?
It makes a big difference.
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#41) Whatever you feel you're worth. 2) Whatever you feel you're worth. The limiting factor in your compensation is usually your own reluctance to ask for "way too much".
That's true for consultants; it doesn't hold if you're a full-time employee. For employee salaries, the limiting factor is still what the boss is willing to pay.
There's been a lot of noise about consultant hourly rates, lately. But make no mistake: consultants make more in large part because they have to cover their own costs (insurance, employment taxes, SSI, etc.) The true cost of a full-time employee is significantly higher than their salary.
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#51) Whatever you feel you're worth. 2) Whatever you feel you're worth. The limiting factor in your compensation is usually your own reluctance to ask for "way too much".
That's true for consultants; it doesn't hold if you're a full-time employee. For employee salaries, the limiting factor is still what the boss is willing to pay. There's been a lot of noise about consultant hourly rates, lately. But make no mistake: consultants make more in large part because they have to cover their own costs (insurance, employment taxes, SSI, etc.) The true cost of a full-time employee is significa…
In my very limited experience, it seems to hold true for full-time employees as well. You simply have to be willing to leave if they aren't willing to pay you what you want. You're a lot more valuable to them than they are to you.
All I meant was what the boss is willing to pay you is often higher than you might think.. And perhaps even higher than he might think :)
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#6Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's true for consultants; it doesn't hold if you're a full-time employee. For employee salaries, the limiting factor is still what the boss is willing to pay. There's been a lot of noise about consultant hourly rates, lately. But make no mistake: consultants make more in large part because they have to cover their own costs (insurance, employment taxes, SSI, etc.) The true cost of a full-time employee is significa…
In my very limited experience, it seems to hold true for full-time employees as well. You simply have to be willing to leave if they aren't willing to pay you what you want. You're a lot more valuable to them than they are to you. All I meant was what the boss is willing to pay you is often higher than you might think.. And perhaps even higher than he might think :)
You're begging the original question. Sure, your market value might be higher than you expect -- but it might be lower, too. Are you willing to walk away from a good job for a potentially unreasonable expectation of higher salary?
The OP wanted to know the salary range for a programmer in San Francisco. I guess I don't see relativism ("it's as high as you want it to be") as a particularly helpful response.
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#7payscale.com
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#8For the very earliest employees in a startup, you should pay little more than living expenses in salary, because you only want people who want mostly equity. How much equity to give them is always a negotiation.
The underlying principles are described here: http://paulgraham.com/equity.html
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#9forget it, you'll never be satisfied, just start your own company and set the price as low as you can for other people.
Re: Ask YC: What would the salary range be for programmers?
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
In my very limited experience, it seems to hold true for full-time employees as well. You simply have to be willing to leave if they aren't willing to pay you what you want. You're a lot more valuable to them than they are to you. All I meant was what the boss is willing to pay you is often higher than you might think.. And perhaps even higher than he might think :)
You're begging the original question. Sure, your market value might be higher than you expect -- but it might be lower, too. Are you willing to walk away from a good job for a potentially unreasonable expectation of higher salary? The OP wanted to know the salary range for a programmer in San Francisco. I guess I don't see relativism ("it's as high as you want it to be") as a particularly helpful response.
Hmm... I was feeling pensive today, so I probably got too creative and derailed the thread. I apologize :)
I'd make it up by giving a helpful response, but I don't live in San Fran. I hope he finds the answer though!