4 ms·

210k base? This probably needs another topic, but is this normal for bay area companies recruiting at senior engineer level now?

nvarsj 8y ago
OP provided no context. So I'll fill in the blanks: Ex-FAANG engineer got an offer at Dropbox. Dropbox needs to be competitive, so made an offer around 200k + full remote. FAANG in bay area pays 200-300 for senior total comp, so it was probably a salary cut for OP. If you're Joe Blow in the middle of the US, you are probably not going to get a similar offer unless you're already on a similar wage.
- electricslpnsld 8y ago
  > FAANG in bay area pays 200-300 for senior total comp FAANG pays 200-300 total comp for new grads, these days. My new grad friends who land at Facebook and Google are getting 140-160 base salary, 70 or 80 in bonus, and around 80 to 100 in RSU vesting in the first year. Pay is bonkers right now!
  - nvarsj 8y ago
    Okay, in that case OP was probably taking an even larger paycut :).
curiousDog 8y ago
Yes, I don’t live in the Bay Area but I am US based. $200k base is fairly standard for reputable tech companies on the west coast I think.
alkibiades 8y ago
yeah. if anything it’s low. I know of entry/mid level offers at F/G that are higher.
- throwawaymath 8y ago
  It's not low, it's actually a little on the high side. FAANG compensation packages are very strong in general, but base compensation is rarely above $200k for senior level. You typically have ~$180k for senior level and up to another $200k in RSU and target bonus compensation. Outside of scenarios involving very specific specializations, everything in my experience (with several FAANG companies) leads me to believe what you're saying about the $200k base figure being met at the entry/mid level is strictly false.
throwawaymath 8y ago
What's considered the canonical "senior" level differs depending on which FAANG you're talking about, but by and large, no. The total compensation packages at FAANG are exceptionally strong - you can realistically see $300-400k. But that will more often than not consist of ~$180k in base salary with an additional $100-200k between annual RSU grants and target bonus. Don't get me wrong $210k in base salary absolutely happens. My own base salary is just north of that and I'm considered senior level in NYC. But it's usually not the case. Of the FAANGs, you're most likely to see that happen at Netflix, followed by Google and Facebook. It's unlikely at Amazon and Apple. When you do get a base salary like that (at the senior level), it typically follows that your RSUs will be commensurately smaller. If not, it's probably the case that you're actually above senior level (lead or principal).

nvarsj 8y ago

OP provided no context. So I'll fill in the blanks: Ex-FAANG engineer got an offer at Dropbox. Dropbox needs to be competitive, so made an offer around 200k + full remote. FAANG in bay area pays 200-300 for senior total comp, so it was probably a salary cut for OP. If you're Joe Blow in the middle of the US, you are probably not going to get a similar offer unless you're already on a similar wage.

electricslpnsld 8y ago
> FAANG in bay area pays 200-300 for senior total comp FAANG pays 200-300 total comp for new grads, these days. My new grad friends who land at Facebook and Google are getting 140-160 base salary, 70 or 80 in bonus, and around 80 to 100 in RSU vesting in the first year. Pay is bonkers right now!
- nvarsj 8y ago
  Okay, in that case OP was probably taking an even larger paycut :).

curiousDog 8y ago

Yes, I don’t live in the Bay Area but I am US based. $200k base is fairly standard for reputable tech companies on the west coast I think.

alkibiades 8y ago

yeah. if anything it’s low. I know of entry/mid level offers at F/G that are higher.

throwawaymath 8y ago
It's not low, it's actually a little on the high side. FAANG compensation packages are very strong in general, but base compensation is rarely above $200k for senior level. You typically have ~$180k for senior level and up to another $200k in RSU and target bonus compensation. Outside of scenarios involving very specific specializations, everything in my experience (with several FAANG companies) leads me to believe what you're saying about the $200k base figure being met at the entry/mid level is strictly false.

throwawaymath 8y ago

What's considered the canonical "senior" level differs depending on which FAANG you're talking about, but by and large, no. The total compensation packages at FAANG are exceptionally strong - you can realistically see $300-400k. But that will more often than not consist of ~$180k in base salary with an additional $100-200k between annual RSU grants and target bonus. Don't get me wrong $210k in base salary absolutely happens. My own base salary is just north of that and I'm considered senior level in NYC. But it's usually not the case. Of the FAANGs, you're most likely to see that happen at Netflix, followed by Google and Facebook. It's unlikely at Amazon and Apple. When you do get a base salary like that (at the senior level), it typically follows that your RSUs will be commensurately smaller. If not, it's probably the case that you're actually above senior level (lead or principal).