1% equity in a series C startup sounds wildly optimistic. You would most likely not get that much equity as a senior software engineer. It's interesting that your first calculation still favours the other choice.
Yeah, I agree. There's no way that an engineer is getting integer percentages of equity after seed round. Maybe if they're highly recruited, in which case Google et al. would pay more.
You can get integer percentages right after a seed. (No way at Series C though.)
Who would get integer percentages after seed round?
C-suite hires that have other choices and capital investors.
Yeah, I agree. No way someone in C round will get 1%.
A C-suite would I think, not an engineer.
a c-suite would get more than that, probably closer to 3 or 5%, and also a signing bonus, as well as performance bonuses, a huge options package, and a termination clause / parachute clause. hell, throw in a relocation package and a credit card for entertaining customers and partners also.
On the other side though, $100k salary is widely pessimistic for a Series C employee who could command $300k total compensation at a FANG-type company. Realistically, their base salary would be closer to $150k - $180k.