Paying a programmer 300-400k is marginal cost compared to the value generated by their work, so no. Comany downside is controlled by most of the compensation be

Paying a programmer 300-400k is marginal cost compared to the value generated by their work, so no. Comany downside is controlled by most of the compensation being company stock, in case this doesn’t hold. The programs created make the companies that hire the programmers extreme profits, in a way that scales by machines to serve an arbitrary amount of customers. Even small maintenance changes make millions or tens of millions, but when they are done wrong they bring down systems they cost billions. That is why skilled craftsmen are worth their weight in gold.