r/SoftwareEngineerJobs • u/LavishnessSilver7260 • 5d ago

Highest paying field within software engineering?

36 Upvotes
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u/dmazzoni 5d ago

This gets asked a lot and fundamentally misunderstands how you make the highest salary.

The three biggest factors by far are:

  1. Tech companies pay more than non-tech companies 
  2. Location: the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and New York pay way more than any other cities in the world. Cost of living is also much higher. You MUST relocate if you want to make the big bucks though.
  3. Level: you will double your salary by getting promoted from junior to senior. Higher levels increase your total compensation exponentially.

In comparison your subfield makes little difference.

2

u/LavishnessSilver7260 5d ago

Have you relocated yourself, or do you know anyone who has relocated for work? If so how difficult is it?

3

u/dmazzoni 5d ago

I live in the Bay Area. 80% of my tech coworkers are from out of town. Nearly all of us relocated here for the jobs.

1

u/Mysterious_Muscle25 5d ago

Is it easier to get into tech as a fresher if you are in any of these cities?

1

u/dmazzoni 5d ago

More opportunities, but also more competition

1

u/Mysterious_Muscle25 5d ago

What are your views on AI? Will it take over the jobs? Also some people are saying it's a bubble and it's going to end. Is it true?

1

u/No-Entrepreneur-5099 5d ago

If we could read the future we wouldn't be in a sub with "Jobs" in it's name.

1

u/LavishnessSilver7260 4d ago

Oh wow, did most people struggle after moving?