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just to expand, indeed their salaries are relative average. But, their benefits package both during and after tenure is generous. Their package include health

just to expand, indeed their salaries are relative average. But, their benefits package both during and after tenure is generous. Their package include health & life insurance outside the general public market, social security, FERS, CSRS, personnel & office and mail allowances, office space, furniture, office equipment, food, laundry, and much more. It will definitely not make them millionaires, but will allow them to live an upper echelon life; compared to some of us, even luxurious life.

aspenmayer 5y ago
Don't forget that all Congress members and former members get a fully vested pension after only 5 years in Congress, which can be collected at age 62, or even lower ages for longer time served. However, the Fed is distinct from Congress. Not sure if the Fed also participates in FERS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_S...
- dragonwriter 5y ago
  > Don’t forget that all Congress members and former members get a fully vested pension after only 5 years in Congress Fully vested, but at 1.0% of the top 3 years salary per year of service. So, sure, at 5 years of service @ 174K per year, they could draw pension at 62 – but that pension would only be $8,700/year.
fragmede 5y ago
Listen, I know we're all senior developers working at a FAANG, making between $300k-500k/year in total compensation, but $160k/yr is a giant pile of money for many, many Americans. The fact that it's $160k + health insurance plan that qualifies as "really fucking good" makes that $160k far more than the already-above-average Joe's 160k.
- xboxnolifes 5y ago
  I didn't realize GP was using that number too make it sound low. At first I thought the 175k number was an attempt to show how much better paid that position is compared to the rest. The fact that the average position in the source is just under 200k/year and people are reading it as a bad package seems incredibly out of touch.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- jkepler 5y ago
  I'm a geek working at a nontechnical nonprofit, outside the US, and I don't even have a 6-figure annual salary. And yet, I was reading a book about capitalism and democracy in my current country, and I realized that my salary, which is decent compared to many Americans, puts me in the top 20% of earners here. So I agree wholeheartedly: $160k is a large salary for the vast majority of the world, and I would guess that its large for many of HackerNews' global readers.
- WaitWaitWha 5y ago
  > compared to some of us, even luxurious life. Quoting what I wrote about "some of _us_", as I am unclear if you are being tongue in cheek, or seriously think I think they are underpaid.

aspenmayer 5y ago

Don't forget that all Congress members and former members get a fully vested pension after only 5 years in Congress, which can be collected at age 62, or even lower ages for longer time served. However, the Fed is distinct from Congress. Not sure if the Fed also participates in FERS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_S...

dragonwriter 5y ago
> Don’t forget that all Congress members and former members get a fully vested pension after only 5 years in Congress Fully vested, but at 1.0% of the top 3 years salary per year of service. So, sure, at 5 years of service @ 174K per year, they could draw pension at 62 – but that pension would only be $8,700/year.

fragmede 5y ago

Listen, I know we're all senior developers working at a FAANG, making between $300k-500k/year in total compensation, but $160k/yr is a giant pile of money for many, many Americans. The fact that it's $160k + health insurance plan that qualifies as "really fucking good" makes that $160k far more than the already-above-average Joe's 160k.

xboxnolifes 5y ago
I didn't realize GP was using that number too make it sound low. At first I thought the 175k number was an attempt to show how much better paid that position is compared to the rest. The fact that the average position in the source is just under 200k/year and people are reading it as a bad package seems incredibly out of touch.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
jkepler 5y ago
I'm a geek working at a nontechnical nonprofit, outside the US, and I don't even have a 6-figure annual salary. And yet, I was reading a book about capitalism and democracy in my current country, and I realized that my salary, which is decent compared to many Americans, puts me in the top 20% of earners here. So I agree wholeheartedly: $160k is a large salary for the vast majority of the world, and I would guess that its large for many of HackerNews' global readers.
WaitWaitWha 5y ago
> compared to some of us, even luxurious life. Quoting what I wrote about "some of _us_", as I am unclear if you are being tongue in cheek, or seriously think I think they are underpaid.