3 ms·

Some context: PhD in EE, but spend most of my time coding. 2011: $100k, industry R&D lab, VA 2012: $150k, “”, “” 2013: $150k, “”, “” 2014: $0,

by salta2019 8y ago

Some context: PhD in EE, but spend most of my time coding. 2011: $100k, industry R&D lab, VA 2012: $150k, “”, “” 2013: $150k, “”, “” 2014: $0, self-employed and didn’t turn a profit 2015: $100k, academic researcher, Midwest 2016: $160k, industry R&D, SV 2017: $165k, “”, “” 2018: $170k, “”, “” Since 2016, I’ve been working in SV for a company that pays engineers all cash, a modest bonus, and no stock. I like the work and people, but I feel like I’m leaving a lot of money on the table. Almost anywhere else in the country, I’d be making a considerable amount of money. In SV, it doesn’t feel that way. Myself and most of my (unmarried) coworkers are in our 30s-40s and living in studio apartments. I couldn’t provide a family with the same lifestyle my parents gave me (a house, two cars, safe neighborhood, good school district, mother could stop working for several years to raise me), and they managed without college educations. I’ve recently tried making the jump into a FAANG company or unicorn, but so far no luck. One company was willing to give feedback: I don’t have enough experience with large scale systems. It’s tough, because I’ve aged out of junior positions, but I guess I lack the right experience for experienced positions. Still have a couple irons in the fire though.

chestervonwinch 8y ago
> 2015: $100k, academic researcher, Midwest This is more than some tenured research faculty. How the heck did you make so much in academia?
- salta2019 8y ago
  I was hired by a professor who I’d worked with before. He’d just landed a very large grant, so he had some flexibility with the funding.
fma 8y ago
Honestly, time to leave SV if you want to provide for a family. I'm in Atlanta. 10 years experience, 135k base, 150k total comp (401k and bonus). You can easily provide what you parents provides you here for 100k salary, which can be easily had. No one will judge you if you don't have large scale systems experience.
- jandrewrogers 8y ago
  As a potentially helpful data point, I've occasionally been approached for senior technical roles in Atlanta, at large non-tech companies, where they've opened with $600-700k total comp. While I've never seriously pursued a job in Atlanta, that market apparently has at least some willingness to pay well for high-end technical talent that I would not have expected.
  - throwaway441 8y ago
    Are you open to sharing which companies? I've looked extensively in Atlanta and haven't found anything near SV comp. Square was the highest that I found.
  - infinite8s 8y ago
    Are those CTO/VP Eng level roles?
souprock 8y ago
Ignoring the actual numbers because of cost of living, an EE with coding experience would be doing far better here on Florida's eastern coast. That "studio apartments" bit is horrifying. My coworkers and I seem to do lots better. I've seen my coworkers use a single income to buy: a condo on the beach, a new McMansion, 11 acres with farm animals and shooting, waterfront property with access to the ocean, waterfront property for an airboat into marshlands, and lots of toys. I went for a simple house, 3500 square feet on 0.38 acres and now fully paid off, within walking distance of work. I also had 11 children and bought 3 cars. I'll take a hopeful guess that an EE with coding experience might enjoy assembly language. If so, maybe I can help get you into a more family-friendly situation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19284153 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19284153
tayo42 8y ago
> I don’t have enough experience with large scale systems. I'm frustrated for you. This is a dumb reason to say no to someone. "Large systems" are a solved problem and i dont think anyone is working on some system that cant be handled. I work at one of this scale companies, there's nothing special about, people jerking them selves off.
isostatic 8y ago
> I couldn’t provide a family with the same lifestyle my parents gave me (a house, two cars, safe neighborhood, good school district, mother could stop working for several years to raise me), and they managed without college educations. It depends where you live. That's probably possible on £30k in the UK including various benefits, certainly on £50k, as long as you live somewhere sensible. What are the non-housing costs you need? In 2008 a couple with 2 kids spent, per week: Food and drink £103.53 Clothing and footwear £29.26 Household goods and services £27.11 Personal goods and services (inc health) £27.39 Transport £35.02 Social and cultural activities £90.08 £320 a week, or £1400 a month. That's £1800 a month after inflation [0] Housing costs say £650 a month for a mortgage [1] £2.5k a month, or a net of £30k, that's a single income of £42k a year [2] You'll also get £1800 in child benfit. If you have larger outgoings, say 30% more to £2400 a month plus housing, you're looking at a net of £36k, or gross of £52k [3] (Marginal tax £50k-£60k is 69% though so there's not much point earning more than that, until you're past 60k and it drops back to 51%) [0] https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/2008?amount=1400 https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/2008?amount=1400 [1] https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70111735.html https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70111... [2] https://listentotaxman.com/42000?plan=2 https://listentotaxman.com/42000?plan=2 [3] https://listentotaxman.com/52000?plan=2 https://listentotaxman.com/52000?plan=2
mac01021 8y ago
> I couldn’t provide a family with the same lifestyle my parents gave me (a house, two cars, safe neighborhood, good school district, mother could stop working for several years to raise me) That's true, probably. But you don't need 2 cars and a house for your family to have the same quality of life. If you live in the right neighborhood 1 or zero cars is fine. And a family of 4 can live just as happily and comfortably in a 2 bedroom apartment.

chestervonwinch 8y ago

> 2015: $100k, academic researcher, Midwest This is more than some tenured research faculty. How the heck did you make so much in academia?

salta2019 8y ago
I was hired by a professor who I’d worked with before. He’d just landed a very large grant, so he had some flexibility with the funding.

fma 8y ago

Honestly, time to leave SV if you want to provide for a family. I'm in Atlanta. 10 years experience, 135k base, 150k total comp (401k and bonus). You can easily provide what you parents provides you here for 100k salary, which can be easily had. No one will judge you if you don't have large scale systems experience.

jandrewrogers 8y ago
As a potentially helpful data point, I've occasionally been approached for senior technical roles in Atlanta, at large non-tech companies, where they've opened with $600-700k total comp. While I've never seriously pursued a job in Atlanta, that market apparently has at least some willingness to pay well for high-end technical talent that I would not have expected.
- throwaway441 8y ago
  Are you open to sharing which companies? I've looked extensively in Atlanta and haven't found anything near SV comp. Square was the highest that I found.
- infinite8s 8y ago
  Are those CTO/VP Eng level roles?

souprock 8y ago

Ignoring the actual numbers because of cost of living, an EE with coding experience would be doing far better here on Florida's eastern coast. That "studio apartments" bit is horrifying. My coworkers and I seem to do lots better. I've seen my coworkers use a single income to buy: a condo on the beach, a new McMansion, 11 acres with farm animals and shooting, waterfront property with access to the ocean, waterfront property for an airboat into marshlands, and lots of toys. I went for a simple house, 3500 square feet on 0.38 acres and now fully paid off, within walking distance of work. I also had 11 children and bought 3 cars. I'll take a hopeful guess that an EE with coding experience might enjoy assembly language. If so, maybe I can help get you into a more family-friendly situation: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19284153 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19284153

tayo42 8y ago

> I don’t have enough experience with large scale systems. I'm frustrated for you. This is a dumb reason to say no to someone. "Large systems" are a solved problem and i dont think anyone is working on some system that cant be handled. I work at one of this scale companies, there's nothing special about, people jerking them selves off.

isostatic 8y ago

> I couldn’t provide a family with the same lifestyle my parents gave me (a house, two cars, safe neighborhood, good school district, mother could stop working for several years to raise me), and they managed without college educations. It depends where you live. That's probably possible on £30k in the UK including various benefits, certainly on £50k, as long as you live somewhere sensible. What are the non-housing costs you need? In 2008 a couple with 2 kids spent, per week: Food and drink £103.53 Clothing and footwear £29.26 Household goods and services £27.11 Personal goods and services (inc health) £27.39 Transport £35.02 Social and cultural activities £90.08 £320 a week, or £1400 a month. That's £1800 a month after inflation [0] Housing costs say £650 a month for a mortgage [1] £2.5k a month, or a net of £30k, that's a single income of £42k a year [2] You'll also get £1800 in child benfit. If you have larger outgoings, say 30% more to £2400 a month plus housing, you're looking at a net of £36k, or gross of £52k [3] (Marginal tax £50k-£60k is 69% though so there's not much point earning more than that, until you're past 60k and it drops back to 51%) [0] https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/2008?amount=1400 https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/2008?amount=1400 [1] https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70111735.html https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70111... [2] https://listentotaxman.com/42000?plan=2 https://listentotaxman.com/42000?plan=2 [3] https://listentotaxman.com/52000?plan=2 https://listentotaxman.com/52000?plan=2

mac01021 8y ago

> I couldn’t provide a family with the same lifestyle my parents gave me (a house, two cars, safe neighborhood, good school district, mother could stop working for several years to raise me) That's true, probably. But you don't need 2 cars and a house for your family to have the same quality of life. If you live in the right neighborhood 1 or zero cars is fine. And a family of 4 can live just as happily and comfortably in a 2 bedroom apartment.