It's odd to compare the top end of a few top-end job postings to the median salary in another location. I would guess that the folks accepting 140k salaries in

It's odd to compare the top end of a few top-end job postings to the median salary in another location. I would guess that the folks accepting 140k salaries in SF are either really hopeful about their equity, or are just not the people who would get offered 160k in Nebraska. But in any case, why are startup salaries stagnant? Because for most positions at startups, they don't really need "the best", they need someone with basic competencies, so there's no need to pay more than that.