I don't think it's just SV, I've seen job postings in Boston for 3+ years experience and it was listed as a senior engineer. I think it's because many companies

I don't think it's just SV, I've seen job postings in Boston for 3+ years experience and it was listed as a senior engineer. I think it's because many companies try to use titles as compensation. I've gotten the "senior engineer" title 3 times in my career. Two of those times it was given to me in the same conversation where I was told there was going to be no raises that year.