5 ms·

I'm not sure why you wouldn't care about stocks or bonuses, but 200k base salary is entirely possible at Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, mos

by gizmo 10y ago

I'm not sure why you wouldn't care about stocks or bonuses, but 200k base salary is entirely possible at Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, most hedge funds, and so on. 200k per year doesn't even put you in the 1%. 200k per year isn't even an infinite amount of money -- larger house and nicer car and poof it's gone. Right now software engineers with AI and Deep Learning experience or Big Data experience are in demand and they can easily clear 200k. Outside of the US a base salary of 200k less common, but still possible for senior software engineer type roles, or more commonly for CTO or Director of Engineering level roles. http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2014/01/12/google_programmer_salaries.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2014/01/12/googl...

bsvalley 10y ago
I've been there, there is not such things for an individual contributor unless you're an old employee (10 years at the same company). I'm talking about +200K/y base salary, no stocks, bonuses etc.
- frankchn 10y ago
  Google Staff Software Engineers make $200k+/year in base salary for a total compensation of $350k+ according to Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Google-Staff-Software-Engineer-Salaries-E9079_D_KO7,30.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Google-Staff-Software-Engin... This is three promotions for a new grad software engineer to reach this level, but if you are good, it is reasonable to get 3 promotions in 9 years. I assume other companies pay comparably at this level of seniority.
  - bsvalley 10y ago
    Other companies, you mean FB or Microsoft? The rest, they don't. Also, Staff engineer at google = at least 8 years working at google as an engineer (while being a rock star over there). What if you join google now with 10 years of exp? Would you make $200k base salary? Not sure...
    - frankchn 10y ago
      Well, I am sure Amazon, Dropbox, and many of the other large companies would too. Also, I don't think it is unreasonable for someone with the equivalent experience of 8 or 9 years at Google to get hired as a Staff Software Engineer. Of course, this is ultimately dependent on how well you perform in your interviews and the hiring committee. Anyway, if you only care about cash compensation rather than bonuses or stock, Netflix is where you want to go: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Netflix-Senior-Software-Engineer-Salaries-E11891_D_KO8,32.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Netflix-Senior-Software-Eng.... Their compensation package is basically all cash, no stocks, no bonus or anything like that. Note that Netflix hires all software engineers as "Senior Software Engineers": https://jobs.netflix.com/jobs https://jobs.netflix.com/jobs
- gizmo 10y ago
  It's also possible if you're headhunted, or if you're part of an aquihire. 200k base means closer to 500k in total compensation (because all big tech companies offer bonuses and stock), so I don't really understand your focus on base salary. Why not compare offers by total compensation instead? For every person earning 200k base there are many people earning 150k base. And with 150k base + bonus + stock you still end up with 250k in total compensation. We engineers got a good thing going here.
  - bsvalley 10y ago
    Of course... total comp is standard at 200k/year (at least here in the bay area). Same for a startups, you can own %2 of a startup with a 40 million valuation. The bank will ask for your monthly paychecks at the end of the day.
- JamesVI 10y ago
  I have personally hired ICs at $200k base plus 10% bonus target plus RSUs. Typically 10+ years experience and a some specific experience we felt was relevant to the team.
micahbright 10y ago
"larger house and nicer car and poof it's gone." I guess you could spend your money that way. $200k is considered affluent, at least around Texas. I imagine it's not really a lot if you live out on the west coast.
- iplaw 10y ago
  $200k is far from affluent in Texas, unless you're in a small town in BFE. $200k is solidly middle class in Dallas.
  - dlp211 10y ago
    $200k/year is well above solidly middle class anywhere in the world including Vancouver, London, NYC, San Francisco, or any other place you could dream up. $200k/year being middle class is so incredibly out of touch of what it means to be solidly middle class. This does not mean that you are jet setting around the world either or that you can quit your job tomorrow, but you are well on your way to Financial Independence/Retire Early, and probably a fat one at that.
    - iplaw 10y ago
      I think that you grossly overestimate what a $200k income actually gets you in terms of ability to aggregate wealth. If you're hoping to work until you're 65 and live off of a meager 401(k), then sure. Have at it. If you want an early and fat retirement, you'll need at least $300k salary. Large annual bonuses ($100k-$250k range) with a $200k salary would also be sufficient. $200k salary alone is solidly middle class.
      - dlp211 10y ago
        This is absolutely nuts to me. At 200k you should be able to put away 80k+/yr if you are even semi-serious about FIRE. At that rate with a 7 percent return, adjusted for inflation, after 20 years you'd have 3.5MM in assets which would provide a safe withdraw rate of 140k/yr. This assumes that you make not a single dollar more adjusted for inflation than that 200k. 140k/yr is nearly 3x median income in America. This is solidly upper middle class and I would say quite affluent. For posterity, if you did this for 30 years you'd have over $8MM and a SWR of over $320k/yr.

by gizmo 10y ago

bsvalley 10y ago

I've been there, there is not such things for an individual contributor unless you're an old employee (10 years at the same company). I'm talking about +200K/y base salary, no stocks, bonuses etc.

frankchn 10y ago
Google Staff Software Engineers make $200k+/year in base salary for a total compensation of $350k+ according to Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Google-Staff-Software-Engineer-Salaries-E9079_D_KO7,30.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Google-Staff-Software-Engin... This is three promotions for a new grad software engineer to reach this level, but if you are good, it is reasonable to get 3 promotions in 9 years. I assume other companies pay comparably at this level of seniority.
- bsvalley 10y ago
  Other companies, you mean FB or Microsoft? The rest, they don't. Also, Staff engineer at google = at least 8 years working at google as an engineer (while being a rock star over there). What if you join google now with 10 years of exp? Would you make $200k base salary? Not sure...
  - frankchn 10y ago
    Well, I am sure Amazon, Dropbox, and many of the other large companies would too. Also, I don't think it is unreasonable for someone with the equivalent experience of 8 or 9 years at Google to get hired as a Staff Software Engineer. Of course, this is ultimately dependent on how well you perform in your interviews and the hiring committee. Anyway, if you only care about cash compensation rather than bonuses or stock, Netflix is where you want to go: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Netflix-Senior-Software-Engineer-Salaries-E11891_D_KO8,32.htm https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Netflix-Senior-Software-Eng.... Their compensation package is basically all cash, no stocks, no bonus or anything like that. Note that Netflix hires all software engineers as "Senior Software Engineers": https://jobs.netflix.com/jobs https://jobs.netflix.com/jobs
gizmo 10y ago
It's also possible if you're headhunted, or if you're part of an aquihire. 200k base means closer to 500k in total compensation (because all big tech companies offer bonuses and stock), so I don't really understand your focus on base salary. Why not compare offers by total compensation instead? For every person earning 200k base there are many people earning 150k base. And with 150k base + bonus + stock you still end up with 250k in total compensation. We engineers got a good thing going here.
- bsvalley 10y ago
  Of course... total comp is standard at 200k/year (at least here in the bay area). Same for a startups, you can own %2 of a startup with a 40 million valuation. The bank will ask for your monthly paychecks at the end of the day.
JamesVI 10y ago
I have personally hired ICs at $200k base plus 10% bonus target plus RSUs. Typically 10+ years experience and a some specific experience we felt was relevant to the team.

micahbright 10y ago

"larger house and nicer car and poof it's gone." I guess you could spend your money that way. $200k is considered affluent, at least around Texas. I imagine it's not really a lot if you live out on the west coast.

iplaw 10y ago
$200k is far from affluent in Texas, unless you're in a small town in BFE. $200k is solidly middle class in Dallas.
- dlp211 10y ago
  $200k/year is well above solidly middle class anywhere in the world including Vancouver, London, NYC, San Francisco, or any other place you could dream up. $200k/year being middle class is so incredibly out of touch of what it means to be solidly middle class. This does not mean that you are jet setting around the world either or that you can quit your job tomorrow, but you are well on your way to Financial Independence/Retire Early, and probably a fat one at that.
  - iplaw 10y ago
    I think that you grossly overestimate what a $200k income actually gets you in terms of ability to aggregate wealth. If you're hoping to work until you're 65 and live off of a meager 401(k), then sure. Have at it. If you want an early and fat retirement, you'll need at least $300k salary. Large annual bonuses ($100k-$250k range) with a $200k salary would also be sufficient. $200k salary alone is solidly middle class.
    - dlp211 10y ago
      This is absolutely nuts to me. At 200k you should be able to put away 80k+/yr if you are even semi-serious about FIRE. At that rate with a 7 percent return, adjusted for inflation, after 20 years you'd have 3.5MM in assets which would provide a safe withdraw rate of 140k/yr. This assumes that you make not a single dollar more adjusted for inflation than that 200k. 140k/yr is nearly 3x median income in America. This is solidly upper middle class and I would say quite affluent. For posterity, if you did this for 30 years you'd have over $8MM and a SWR of over $320k/yr.