7 ms·

The highest paid tech worker is still closer in class to the janitor than they are to the VCs paying their salary, even if they think themselves better than bot

by mkr-hn 5y ago

The highest paid tech worker is still closer in class to the janitor than they are to the VCs paying their salary, even if they think themselves better than both.

gnicholas 5y ago
It's true that the salary of a tech worker making $400k/yr is closer to that of a janitor making $40k/yr than it is to a VC making $4m/yr. However, the lifestyle of the $400k/yr worker is probably closer in most important aspects to that of the VC than the janitor. Both drive expensive cars, live in expensive houses, and can set up their kids for success. They don't worry about the cost of food (even organic/local/etc.) or worry much about health care. Put another way, there are probably some $40k/yr janitors who would give their left arms to be making $400k/yr. But I doubt there are any $400k/yr tech workers who would give their left arm to be making $4m/yr.
- Apocryphon 5y ago
  The majority of tech workers are not making $400k/year.
  - gnicholas 5y ago
    For sure. GP made a claim about the highest-paid tech workers, and I responded to that claim.
    - mkr-hn 5y ago
      I meant to imply a range that peaks at the highest. Maybe that construction isn't as common and implicit as I thought.
      - gnicholas 5y ago
        Yeah I figured you didn't mean the actual highest paid individual, and from past HN discussions I've seen that there are some folks making over $500k/yr at FAANG. I picked $400k because it's not uncommon for that to be the total comp for mid-career FAANG tech worker. But I could be wrong — I'm a bootstrapped founder who used to be a Silicon Valley lawyer, so my information comes from friends or HN discussions.
- bluefirebrand 5y ago
  > But I doubt there are any tech workers who would give their left arm to be making $4m/yr I'm a software dev, I don't make 6 figures. I'd probably give my left arm to make $4m/year, I could afford a robot arm with that I'm sure. $4m/year means I could retire before I'm 40 and live the rest of my life with the lifestyle I have now with comfort. Even missing an arm that sounds way better than toiling in software for another 25-30 years.
  - ric2b 5y ago
    > $4m/year means I could retire before I'm 40 and live the rest of my life with the lifestyle I have now with comfort. I would be able to retire after 1 year, $4M is enough to just stick in an index fund and live the rest of your life on 4% a year, unless you live in a very high COL area.
- acchow 5y ago
  I think the concept you're looking for is "discretionary income", which I do believe the VC may have 20x more discretionary than the tech worker, who may have 50x more discretionary income than the janitor.
deleted 5y ago
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by mkr-hn 5y ago

The highest paid tech worker is still closer in class to the janitor than they are to the VCs paying their salary, even if they think themselves better than both.

gnicholas 5y ago

It's true that the salary of a tech worker making $400k/yr is closer to that of a janitor making $40k/yr than it is to a VC making $4m/yr. However, the lifestyle of the $400k/yr worker is probably closer in most important aspects to that of the VC than the janitor. Both drive expensive cars, live in expensive houses, and can set up their kids for success. They don't worry about the cost of food (even organic/local/etc.) or worry much about health care. Put another way, there are probably some $40k/yr janitors who would give their left arms to be making $400k/yr. But I doubt there are any $400k/yr tech workers who would give their left arm to be making $4m/yr.

Apocryphon 5y ago
The majority of tech workers are not making $400k/year.
- gnicholas 5y ago
  For sure. GP made a claim about the highest-paid tech workers, and I responded to that claim.
  - mkr-hn 5y ago
    I meant to imply a range that peaks at the highest. Maybe that construction isn't as common and implicit as I thought.
    - gnicholas 5y ago
      Yeah I figured you didn't mean the actual highest paid individual, and from past HN discussions I've seen that there are some folks making over $500k/yr at FAANG. I picked $400k because it's not uncommon for that to be the total comp for mid-career FAANG tech worker. But I could be wrong — I'm a bootstrapped founder who used to be a Silicon Valley lawyer, so my information comes from friends or HN discussions.
bluefirebrand 5y ago
> But I doubt there are any tech workers who would give their left arm to be making $4m/yr I'm a software dev, I don't make 6 figures. I'd probably give my left arm to make $4m/year, I could afford a robot arm with that I'm sure. $4m/year means I could retire before I'm 40 and live the rest of my life with the lifestyle I have now with comfort. Even missing an arm that sounds way better than toiling in software for another 25-30 years.
- ric2b 5y ago
  > $4m/year means I could retire before I'm 40 and live the rest of my life with the lifestyle I have now with comfort. I would be able to retire after 1 year, $4M is enough to just stick in an index fund and live the rest of your life on 4% a year, unless you live in a very high COL area.
acchow 5y ago
I think the concept you're looking for is "discretionary income", which I do believe the VC may have 20x more discretionary than the tech worker, who may have 50x more discretionary income than the janitor.

deleted 5y ago

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