Ask HN: Am I under paid? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Am I under paid?

I make $150K base salary per year (besides stocks), with 10 years of experience total. I live in the san francisco bay area and feel like I'm underpaid.

View on HN

Damn man, if I could get a year of your salary, I'd be able to pay off my mortgage. I definitely don't make close to that, but then again, I live in a part of the country that is much cheaper. I'd say.. at least, I think you are doing pretty well. That sounds like a great salary, even though I know the cost of living there is insane. Almost better off getting yourself a trailer and living in it instead of having to pay the outrageous rent.

Check out this infographic I recently published on my website of Tech CEO salaries vs. their employee salaries and you will be able to get an idea of where you're at. Not a single employee at any tech company is making what you are making.

http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com/ceo-vs-employee-s...

If you're the cofounder of a startup that just got accepted in to YC (reading your username) you are overpaid.

I'm with ejcx. You got it made if you're a startup person making $150K in YC's program. You're doing better in terms of immediate benefit vs long-term possibilities than tons of other developers. I hope the startup works out for you but consider a tech hub with a lower cost of living if it doesn't. There's a lot of "tech cities" just a Google away with online tools for cost of living.

I am in no position to judge your salary.

If you feel that you are being underpaid, then why go to HN about it? The best option would be to go directly to your management and negotiate a better salary. If they won't pay you what you ask for then you would go and find a job elsewhere that pays more than you are currently getting.

If neither approach yields you a higher salary, then the answer is that you are NOT underpaid.

FYI - I am not at a YC startup :)

Reply on news.ycombinator.com