undefined | Better HN

0 pointsmarssaxman7y ago0 comments

I don't know where these numbers come from. I made a gross salary of $140k the year I worked at Google as a senior engineer, and I made some extra money via 401k matching too. $190k would definitely have been more than my entire income, that's for sure. It's hard to imagine that salaries have more than doubled in the six years since then. And... spending only $60k a year, living in Seattle? Yeah, maybe if you live like a monk, or you really enjoy commuting in from distant suburbs.

0 comments

bradlys7y ago

$5000/month in Seattle is well more than doable. I live off <$4k in regular expenses, live alone in the bay area, and still drive a luxury car. When I was in Seattle, I lived off of $1000/month, lived on my own, and had my own car. That was about 4 years ago.

Google compensation is also incredibly high. $140k is less total comp than what many new grads get at Google.

monktastic17y ago

I was a senior swe in Seattle myself. The total comp range is enormous.

Despite my handle, I didn't exactly live like a monk. 2k a luxury high rise and 3k for everything else felt positively princely (though the city has become more expensive since I left).

gowld7y ago

Did you forget that you have RSUs? $60K is plenty for a single person. Working for more than 1 years helps, too, if you sold your stock before it appreciated, since 4-year vest forces you to not sell for 1-3 more years.

marssaxmanOP7y ago

I made as much money on Google RSUs as I've made on every other form of equity offered as part of a "total comp" package over the course of my career, which is to say, nada. Total comp is bullshit, no matter how enthusiastically the recruiters try to convince you otherwise; salary is all that matters.

3470677y ago

Stupid question, but since Google is a public company couldn't you lock in a certain profit on your RSUs with options in a private account? Or are you talking about the restrictions on vesting are meant to make them worthless for most employees because they'll be forfeited on some draconian technicality before exercising?

I remember on Bogleheads people talking about how to reduce the risk of investing in something like an ESPP to avoid an Enron scenario, and the consensus was using options in a private account so that you get a definite payoff.

1 more reply

monktastic17y ago

Why did you make nada? For many engineers senior and above, the RSU value is even greater than the salary.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

bradlys7y ago

Google compensation is also incredibly high. $140k is less total comp than what many new grads get at Google.

monktastic17y ago

I was a senior swe in Seattle myself. The total comp range is enormous.

Despite my handle, I didn't exactly live like a monk. 2k a luxury high rise and 3k for everything else felt positively princely (though the city has become more expensive since I left).

gowld7y ago

marssaxmanOP7y ago

3470677y ago

1 more reply

monktastic17y ago

Why did you make nada? For many engineers senior and above, the RSU value is even greater than the salary.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse