Tech salary < $100k in midwest , having FOMO?
hey blinders
Every time I scroll through any salary data here , pretty much no TC is less than $200k ( I understand skewed observation in east & west coast ) also net worth >0.5M in their 20s. I am not even close to those numbers by living in Midwest region.
That being said, I still manage to live a good life style with maxing out 401k and saving / investing ~35% of my take home pay... however I still can't get my head around these large TCs and comparing those with mine ( i know, it's not right compare but ... we all do in one way or another)
Am i missing out by not moving to coast? how much % do you guys manage to save / invest from your gross / take home pay living in SF/NYC/SEA areas? also can you add TC ?
TC $90K
#tech #salaries #salary #salarycomparison
comments
OP - MS with 5 YOE. DM for more details
I'm ~$280k in the Midwest @ ~5 YOE with just a BS in a STEM field.
The Midwest is a big region, so opportunities might be harder to come by in some of the smaller cities, but if you're in/around Chicago, you should be able to find jobs that are reasonably competitive with the coasts. Granted, it's not like the coasts in the sense that you won't trip and fall into a FAANG-type offer, but if you put some work into finding the good companies that will pay well, you can definitely make it work.
At the end of the year, RSUs and bonus go 100% into savings/investments.
Do what all of us transplants are planning - come here, grind out 10 years, then live like a prince anywhere else in the country - world even.
but you don't get a decent place for $3k for an hour commute in SF ... that scares the $hit out of me
I moved from the Midwest to the coast for more opportunity. If you take into account COLA and inflation, I make about 2% more than I did at my first job. I was more respected at my first job than I am now, and my rent is just 3x at this point. I wouldn’t move back because there was nothing to do where I lived but I wouldn’t say moving to a coast is a solution.
i just mentioned about how i can get nice 1BR condo in downtown for $1200 and save on commute and car related expenses ...how's your WLB ?
Before the pandemic I was doing a normal 40 hour week, but in April half my team was fired so it’s over 60 now. My compensation was also cut and never returned. This is incredibly unique to me and how awful US News is, though.
I would still not move back, mostly because there is no opportunity in my hometown unless you want to work for a bank.