6 ms·

I'm not sure if you're just naive, but "rock star" programmers make a lot more than $100k/yr, try tripling that.

• flacon 16y ago
  300K inboulder? Where do you live? 300K is like C-suite salary in most of the country.
  • timcederman 16y ago
    That's true, but a "rock star" engineer at Google Mountain View earns a base of ~ $150k-$200k. Add on a bonus/stock of $75k-$100k, yeah, upper bounds is $300k. Glassdoor also backs up what I've heard.
    • flacon 16y ago
      Options are pretty much worthless till you can execute them. Even then theres only a one time cash-in-hand situation. Believe me I have a ton of options right now and its not helping ;)
      • timcederman 16y ago
        Are you at Google? If you are, and aren't getting GSUs (fully vested stock units), you're missing out.
        • flacon 16y ago
          No and no. I have only had traditional stock options which are essentially funny money that are vested over a period of years. You still have to purchase the stock but after the stock is vested you just get the ability to execute once there is an equity event such as IPO or sale...
          • timcederman 16y ago
            Yeah. Google offer options and stock units, so are definitely a valuable component of the salary.
• deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
• akgerber 16y ago
  Agreed. The median CMU CS undergrad started at $80k/year last year: http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/career/students_alumni/post-grad-survey/pdf/scs.pdf http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/career/students_alumni/pos... Add on bonuses & that puts smart but not necessarily rock-star kids at close to $100k/yr straight out of school.