I’m 40. The average IC SWE age in my department, if not company (not FAANG, but same tier) is around 30-32. There’s a handful of older ICs in their mid and uppe

I’m 40. The average IC SWE age in my department, if not company (not FAANG, but same tier) is around 30-32. There’s a handful of older ICs in their mid and upper 40s in the department, but us fourtysomethings are in the stark minority. I started my career with a total compensation of around 60k. It took me many years from start to break the 100k mark. Even many, many, more years to break into a FAANG level company (and the associated massive TC increase). Meanwhile I see the interns at this company getting starting offers that exceed my comp at my previous company (senior SWE at an investment bank). If I was making that much money at 24…yeah, I think I could be retired by now at 40. Assuming I’d maintain a position at this or a similar level company of course. Then again, 24 year old me might have taken my starting bonus and sauntered into a Porsche dealership and asked for a 911…