I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm also not sure why the author keeps talking about tech wages as being "risk premiums", as opposed to simple supply-and-

I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm also not sure why the author keeps talking about tech wages as being "risk premiums", as opposed to simple supply-and-demand. If being a tech worker is very financially/physically risky, there would be a premium in wages as compared to other similar professions. But that doesn't seem applicable at all to tech workers who enjoy far more security than other professions. If anything, the fact that startup compensation is far lower than FANG salaries, would mean that there is a risk-discount. Not a risk premium. I usually don't make comments like these, but I'm honestly surprised that this article is sitting on the front page of HN.