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"For comparison, if I were to take a software engineering job right now, I would earn a minimum of 160K (like at a startup with high equity) but more like 220K+
by fleddr 4y ago
"For comparison, if I were to take a software engineering job right now, I would earn a minimum of 160K (like at a startup with high equity) but more like 220K+. Plus sign-on bonus ($20-120K), stock options, annual performance bonus (10-40%), etc."
So this might add up to 300K. Which is a number that is unprecedented in history. Throughout most of history and to this day in pretty much every place in the world, such a salary would be reserved for the executive branch. It's an insanely high compensation largely made possible by a local tech boom, excessive venture capital, very high local living expenses, and the nature of startups, where maximum spending is considered good: 300K can be afforded because of the potential exit.
That's not how 99.99999% of the jobs work, so the comparison is odd. Not at a personal level, but definitely at a societal level.
- ctvo 4y ago> So this might add up to 300K. Which is a number that is unprecedented in history. Throughout most of history and to this day in pretty much every place in the world, such a salary would be reserved for the executive branch. I'd slow down on the hyperbole. That number is specifically for the US so let's look at other white collar professions in the US that fall in similar ranges: - Finance - Consultants - Lawyers - Doctors - Accountants - Dentists ... This person is probably in the top percentile of their field if they're teaching at a top CS school so let's use the high end of those fields and not the average.
- secabeen 4y agoThis is true, but most of those jobs have significant training requirements (Lawyers, Accountants, and specifically Doctors and Dentists), and/or expect exceptionally long work hours (Doctors, Lawyers, Consultants, and especially Finance.) Silicon Valley tech is pretty unique in paying $200-300K+ for what is normally a 40 hour work week.
- fleddr 4y agoBut said person was teaching at an entry level position. Regardless, 300K is not a salary one should expect in pretty much any public function. By comparison, the PM of my country makes 150K.
- cycomachead 4y ago"Entry level" is tough to define. Perhaps entry level for Berkeley, but these are positions which still require an advanced degree and a good bit of teaching experience.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- hnfong 4y agoThe author used to work for Google, which typically can pay 300k+ for a senior engineer position. It might be insanely high, but it doesn't make it non-factual or even a bad comparison. Qualified candidates to people who teach CS to Berkeley students are likely to be in a similar situation too. Until the tech boom subsides a bit at least. I'd say the comparison is fair, even if a bit removed from most people's realities.