Entry-level total comp for SWEs in the SF Bay Area is probably $250k. A senior dev at a public tech company can easily clear $400k. Really senior engineers at FAANG routinely clear $1M.
For senior engineers with some fiscal discipline, it's great, although it's more great to work remotely.
On the more junior end, that $250k goes about as far as $100k in a less expensive region. Keep in mind that the average 1-bedroom rent is $3k+/mo, the average home for a family with kids is $2M, the average PG&E bill for a house is probably $400+, any repairs or remodels will cost you 2x as much as in most other places... and state income taxes are 10% on top of federal.
Most CoL estimates put the cost of living in San Jose at 2x the national average. And that's San Jose.
Entry-level total comp for SWEs in the SF Bay Area is probably $250k. A senior dev at a public tech company can easily clear $400k. Really senior engineers at FAANG routinely clear $1M.
I need to move back to the Bay
For senior engineers with some fiscal discipline, it's great, although it's more great to work remotely.
On the more junior end, that $250k goes about as far as $100k in a less expensive region. Keep in mind that the average 1-bedroom rent is $3k+/mo, the average home for a family with kids is $2M, the average PG&E bill for a house is probably $400+, any repairs or remodels will cost you 2x as much as in most other places... and state income taxes are 10% on top of federal.
Most CoL estimates put the cost of living in San Jose at 2x the national average. And that's San Jose.
it's possible to work remotely, albeit harder to land a job. Still if you makea bit less and live in a LCoL area that's a great deal.
And we aren't also in some other bubble. From rest of the world those compensation levels sound insane.
Midway through my career, these days I feel fortunate to be making 60k. But I'm in Canada.
It's extremely regional. I was at 160 after less than 5 years in the industry. In the Bay Area, that still put me in the bottom 10% for tech workers
https://www.levels.fyi/heatmap/