> $300k-600k for "high-end" mid-level engineers is because they stand to recoup many times than per employee.
Why would a company pay more than they need to? I would pay 4x the price for grapes if required. I don't as I would prefer to spend less on grapes.
> it's impossible for there to be a shortage of high-end mid-level engineers as those mid-level come from the low-end engineers.
Unless there is something that prevents from from becoming mid-level engineers. Like companies that don't hire junior level engineers at all and have mid-level be the entry level.