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In software it's not only the salaries, but also the rarity of European companies that are good at software. Generally speaking, engineers want to achieve resu

In software it's not only the salaries, but also the rarity of European companies that are good at software. Generally speaking, engineers want to achieve results and hate inefficiency. Jobs in companies that really understand software are somewhat rare in Europe - usually you have to find a small to medium sized company, and the pay there is usually below the large companies. You pay for the privilege of being productive(!). In the US, if you join any of the famous large ones, you'll be in an environment where you can get stuff done and expand your skills in work time while getting some of the highest salaries. A phenomenon that I've seen a few times is highly skilled Eastern Europeans coming to Germany, then leaving for the US 1-4 years later. If they leave their home countries for a much higher salary anyway, why not move again and triple the salary another time?

lnsru 8y ago
Very well written, I was just from curiousity recently talking to recruiter and I need to accept 20% salary cut to work in smaller company where I could be more productive. I rather take money and Udacity courses when idle. But there is another point: $100k in Germany is a top limit for skilled engineers. There are some geniuses with patents, papers and fame, they still make <$150k. I imagine, skilled engineer could earn more and retire earlier in the US.
- lallysingh 8y ago
  $100k is less than half of what a good engineer makes in SV, right out of school. Of course, too much of that goes straight into rent...
  - homarp 8y ago
    as seen earlier Families earning $117,000 now qualify as “low income” in California's Bay Area - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17405375 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17405375
MrBuddyCasino 8y ago
This is a very good summary. I have experience with quite a few german DAX 50 companies, and they do not get software, at all. They don't understand that hiring the best is much more economical, don't want to pay for them, basically they "acquire" software and talent as if it was a commodity like stell screws or something.

lnsru 8y ago

Very well written, I was just from curiousity recently talking to recruiter and I need to accept 20% salary cut to work in smaller company where I could be more productive. I rather take money and Udacity courses when idle. But there is another point: $100k in Germany is a top limit for skilled engineers. There are some geniuses with patents, papers and fame, they still make <$150k. I imagine, skilled engineer could earn more and retire earlier in the US.

lallysingh 8y ago
$100k is less than half of what a good engineer makes in SV, right out of school. Of course, too much of that goes straight into rent...
- homarp 8y ago
  as seen earlier Families earning $117,000 now qualify as “low income” in California's Bay Area - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17405375 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17405375

MrBuddyCasino 8y ago

This is a very good summary. I have experience with quite a few german DAX 50 companies, and they do not get software, at all. They don't understand that hiring the best is much more economical, don't want to pay for them, basically they "acquire" software and talent as if it was a commodity like stell screws or something.