This comment if I understood it correctly is basically saying that Google is probably over-paying Senior Engineers; Based on the OP's observation that "seems li

This comment if I understood it correctly is basically saying that Google is probably over-paying Senior Engineers; Based on the OP's observation that "seems like very little of actual value is actually happening". A Googler is likely best to answer here but my thesis is that since Google is just founded on the PageRank ideas of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, doesn't that already prove the value of highly skilled and highly intelligent people? One highly intelligent person that can create a breakthrough like PageRank already creates immense value in the world so likely that is the reason that Google are willing to pay such high salaries for the best of the best.