You're only thinking about the top 1 or 2% of software engineers. There's nowhere near enough FANG jobs to employ most SEs. What the heck is everyone else sup

You're only thinking about the top 1 or 2% of software engineers. There's nowhere near enough FANG jobs to employ most SEs. What the heck is everyone else supposed to do? sit around unemployed forever? There's plenty of SEs for startups. Although working at a FAANG is great compensation for someone in their 20s, it's a whole nother story if you have a family. At that point, the cost of living/housing is so excessive that you're not better working at a FAANG in the bay area. If you're renting, a house in palo alto will cost at least 90K per year, after taxes. That's a pretax cost of 150K. Which means, you need at least 500K minimum just to be doing ok (factoring in the much higher taxes at those salaries, and all the other cost of living). If anything FAANGs are stifling innovation due to their walled gardens.