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The reason software engineers make more money than other engineers is quite simple. Software scales a lot better than hardware, so a lot more money can be made

The reason software engineers make more money than other engineers is quite simple. Software scales a lot better than hardware, so a lot more money can be made with it. Thus more business are built on it, thus demand for those who can build software, thus higher pay. That software engineers be pampered or not is a result of demand being high for the skills. In the long term, it's not a matter of industry culture (as this wouldn't survive financial pressure under stress) but really a simple result of relative rarity in the face of excessive demand.

zeroonetwothree 4y ago
Software also requires far more maintenance and modification. Whereas building a bridge takes more work than maintaining it software is often the opposite
- rjbwork 4y ago
  While true, nobody asks you to turn a bridge into a tunnel the day after the first cars drive across it either.
  - Jensson 4y ago
    Genius Manager: Let users choose whether they want a tunnel or a bridge, and you move the road to fit their needs! Genius Engineer: Easy, the new intel bridge builder runs a million times faster than they used to, done! And then each car has to wait for the bridge to be rebuilt, and people wonder why driving isn't any faster than it used to even though everything is a million times faster.
  - quickthrower2 4y ago
    Kayak => Ferry => Bridge => Tunnel No you are not allowed to rewrite or refactor. Only add!
- AYBABTME 4y ago
  I don't think so. The factories building the hardware require much more maintenance than the software just to keep the lights on, not including growth. Solid state stuff is incredibly reliable in comparison. Then add growth, which I already explained is where software truly shines in how cheap it is to scale in comparison. There's a reason software companies are making fortunes. The margins are incredibly high, high enough to more than compensate for inefficiencies such as lavish office spaces, low employee utilization, etc.

zeroonetwothree 4y ago

Software also requires far more maintenance and modification. Whereas building a bridge takes more work than maintaining it software is often the opposite

rjbwork 4y ago
While true, nobody asks you to turn a bridge into a tunnel the day after the first cars drive across it either.
- Jensson 4y ago
  Genius Manager: Let users choose whether they want a tunnel or a bridge, and you move the road to fit their needs! Genius Engineer: Easy, the new intel bridge builder runs a million times faster than they used to, done! And then each car has to wait for the bridge to be rebuilt, and people wonder why driving isn't any faster than it used to even though everything is a million times faster.
- quickthrower2 4y ago
  Kayak => Ferry => Bridge => Tunnel No you are not allowed to rewrite or refactor. Only add!
AYBABTME 4y ago
I don't think so. The factories building the hardware require much more maintenance than the software just to keep the lights on, not including growth. Solid state stuff is incredibly reliable in comparison. Then add growth, which I already explained is where software truly shines in how cheap it is to scale in comparison. There's a reason software companies are making fortunes. The margins are incredibly high, high enough to more than compensate for inefficiencies such as lavish office spaces, low employee utilization, etc.