4 ms·

I wouldn't move myself and my family to the SFBA for a $250k job. Perhaps that's cliché to say that kind of thing at this point. It needs to pay more due to the

I wouldn't move myself and my family to the SFBA for a $250k job. Perhaps that's cliché to say that kind of thing at this point. It needs to pay more due to the cost of living. I'm making > 200 now in a city-data.com cost of living index 91 city. SF is COL index 170. The people who would take that job already have a similar job, more or less. It's not a skill gap so much as a "willing to put up with SF bullshit" gap.

wooter 9y ago
SF is 7x7 miles. Thats plenty of money if you're ok living elsewhere in the 6900 square miles of "bay area"
vyrotek 9y ago
Agreed, the salaries just don't scale with with the CoL in many cities. As someone in an index 93 city (Phoenix) I don't know how people are taking $100k jobs in SF and Seattle. $200k in an index 91 city is definitely great. Is that a dev position?
tptacek 9y ago
Ok, I believe you, but what's your point? The only objective way to express a "skills gap" is the premium those skills command on the market. Meanwhile, it's obviously possible for there to be an outsized premium for a job you yourself wouldn't take. We don't have to wade into the unproductive swamp of "how much it really costs a family to live in the Bay Area taking all quality of life factors into account".
KirinDave 9y ago
Probably wise. I live in Daly City and my current cash salary pre-tax is just a bit south of $200k (ignoring nonsensical dollar-for-dollar comparisons to income like ISOs, performance grants and bonuses). I'm not struggling to make ends meet, but I am glad I have a big balance from prior my prior payouts, as I'm not saving much (it's even possible to go in the red for the month if I need to buy a non-trivial purchase over a few hundred dollars, like say replacement computer hardware or a major baby related purpose). I know friends making 30-50% less who actually save more per month than I do, in Colorado. Now, the downside is they live in Colorado (compared to the weather and allergy situation on the coast, I prefer this life), but unless I do yet another startup they'll retire with more money saved on average per month than I have. It's pretty fucked up that the entirety of SF life is basically priced around the few post-exit people who set the tone of the market. That is actually only a tiny number of people. Most younger devs I know save 0 money and just hope their wages will grow fast enough to offset that in the long run. Oh and ironically I am certain I could get a job as a Haskell developer, though that's not my job. :)

wooter 9y ago

SF is 7x7 miles. Thats plenty of money if you're ok living elsewhere in the 6900 square miles of "bay area"

vyrotek 9y ago

Agreed, the salaries just don't scale with with the CoL in many cities. As someone in an index 93 city (Phoenix) I don't know how people are taking $100k jobs in SF and Seattle. $200k in an index 91 city is definitely great. Is that a dev position?

tptacek 9y ago

Ok, I believe you, but what's your point? The only objective way to express a "skills gap" is the premium those skills command on the market. Meanwhile, it's obviously possible for there to be an outsized premium for a job you yourself wouldn't take. We don't have to wade into the unproductive swamp of "how much it really costs a family to live in the Bay Area taking all quality of life factors into account".

KirinDave 9y ago

Probably wise. I live in Daly City and my current cash salary pre-tax is just a bit south of $200k (ignoring nonsensical dollar-for-dollar comparisons to income like ISOs, performance grants and bonuses). I'm not struggling to make ends meet, but I am glad I have a big balance from prior my prior payouts, as I'm not saving much (it's even possible to go in the red for the month if I need to buy a non-trivial purchase over a few hundred dollars, like say replacement computer hardware or a major baby related purpose). I know friends making 30-50% less who actually save more per month than I do, in Colorado. Now, the downside is they live in Colorado (compared to the weather and allergy situation on the coast, I prefer this life), but unless I do yet another startup they'll retire with more money saved on average per month than I have. It's pretty fucked up that the entirety of SF life is basically priced around the few post-exit people who set the tone of the market. That is actually only a tiny number of people. Most younger devs I know save 0 money and just hope their wages will grow fast enough to offset that in the long run. Oh and ironically I am certain I could get a job as a Haskell developer, though that's not my job. :)