BigCo pay for a senior software developer in the Bay Area: $160-200k base salary $10-50k cash bonus $20-200k annual RSU vesting (heavily dependent on the

BigCo pay for a senior software developer in the Bay Area: $160-200k base salary $10-50k cash bonus $20-200k annual RSU vesting (heavily dependent on the company, how many years you've been earning stock awards, and whether you're considered a high performer) So, you do have to be good enough to be considered a senior developer, but I'd say if you get hired as a junior developer and work hard for many years, you top out at more like $400k/year total comp. There's a reason people continue to work at BigCos, and stay in the Bay Area despite the (modestly, by these income scales) higher cost of living.