How much do you make + What do you do? It's been awhile.

[Chaotic42]

Director of product management, unicorn startup. Base salary is ok for the bay area but really I make all my money from stock options.

Past:
Earlyish employee of now public decaunicorn startup
Very early employee decaunicon startup
Google acquihire

What are unicorn and decaunicorn startups?

 

[purbeast0]

Senior Software Architect in the DMV area.

I'm in the 161-190k range.

I get 27 days PTO, no health care premiums for me and my family, 8% put into my 401k regardless of me putting anything in it (but I do of course), gym reimbursement, flex schedule (I leave by 2pm pretty much every day), and I've never worked over 40 hours a week in my 5+ years here.

 

[RichUK]

I find IT consultants are a mixed bag when it comes to usefulness / competency / attitude.

I'm currently paying c. £2k a day for consultancy from a leading software vendor (will remain nameless) - I've been through 3 'consultants' in the past 2 months before finally being supplied a competent resource.

Just saying

 

[RichUK]

N/M

 

[Ackmed]

What you make don't matter, it's location - see where you really stand here (it's old but prob still close) -- http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/15/business/one-percent-map.html

This is very true. It is not just how much you make, but in addition to where you live. Money goes further in some areas than another, and jobs will pay you more depending on where it is. Even with the same company doing the same job.

I can't really tell what I do. Top 5% for my area, yet only top 23% for the same money in Boston.

 

[Zeze]

I find IT consultants are a mixed bag when it comes to usefulness / competency / attitude.

I'm currently paying c. £2k a day for consultancy from a leading software vendor (will remain nameless) - I've been through 3 'consultants' in the past 2 months before finally being supplied a competent resource.

Just saying

Was I supposed to defend crappy IT consultants in the world?

 

[Chapbass]

Pre-sales Systems Engineer
Minneapolis
$150k base plus commission (total comp over $300k this year, averages around $225k-$250k)

Perks: unlimited PTO, nearly zero health insurance costs (high deductible plan, $4,500 deductible with $6,000 out of pocket max, company pre-fills an HSA for me with $4,500 each year), $125/mo for cell phone, stock options, RSUs, ESPP, no local office, no micromanagement, do what I want, my quota is my boss

I remember the last time I saw one of these threads that you posted in (years ago), I was jelly back then. Nothings changed. Nice job dude.

 

[bbhaag]

Small business owner in the midwest. I make right around $120k. My wife also works part time making around $20k.
It's a seasonal business so I get two and a half months off from November through mid January. I get three weeks of paid vacation and a nice SEP contribution every year. I received a handsome cash bonus every year as well. This varies by year so I didn't include it in the $120k mentioned above.
I also get to leave whenever I want for basically whatever reason I want. For example my wife and son needed a ride up to the park district building a few days ago to meet for the homecoming parade because they were marching in it. I let my employees know I would be gone for a couple hours and I didn't have to explain or justify why. I just let them know that morning and left.

 

[highland145]

What you make don't matter, it's location - see where you really stand here (it's old but prob still close) -- http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/15/business/one-percent-map.html

Couldn't get it to work. Might be some of the blockers.

Here is one by zip code.
https://www.incomebyzipcode.com/
And city to city comparison.
http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/index.html
$100K here = ~$83K in Albany, NY.
Our COL is really low. The total property tax on the house was $611 for 2016. There are factors that help like a rate cap because we've been here for 21 years, school tax exemption because we live in the house vs rent, owner tax rate vs rental tax rate. We do pay tax on vehicles too but the total for the house, 2 vehicles and 8 ac of woods was ~$1200 for the year. Our public schools kind of suck though. O.K., they really suck.

 

[repoman0]

Electrical engineer making in the low ATOT minimum wage wage. This is my first job post-college that I've been at just over five years now. I think I could make more if I swapped companies, and I'm thinking about it to get some broader experience and try something new. But, it's hard to leave for a few reasons ... I never have to work more than 40 hours a week and often work less, they put 10% into my retirement accounts, over 4 weeks paid vacation, flexible hours, etc., plus the work is usually interesting and keeps me thinking and learning so my brain doesn't rot away.

 

[sigmanova]

May I ask how much is your wife making? What band is she? Position? Just curious because my cousin is doing a pharmacy degree.

depends where you land really. wife currently works at CVS in Los Angeles county area and (after passing NAPLEX and CPJE) her salary is around 130K assuming the typical 40 hours and no OT.

I've heard pay is higher at large hospital systems but i am not certain.

 

[Loop2kil]

$80k, Sysadmin, 40 hours/wk 7-4 (very little OT)
I live and work ~40miles outside of Atlanta, no traffic, very low cost of living (3100 sq,ft + 4 acres = $150k)

Perks:

• Commute is a breeze @ 15 minutes
• I work 5 minutes from a favorite Mountain Bike trail.
• No local boss (they're all in CA) as I'm a 1 man show.
• 6% 401k match
• 4 weeks vacation

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Partner in a small/mid size IP boutique in the northeast. $225-260k/year (total of salary and bonus). No fixed PTO (typically take 3 weeks a year). 401 with modest match. Some profit sharing. no healthcare (we get that from my wife's job). Work at home office 3x one week 2x the next.

Honestly - for my experience level I am underpaid. My current billing rate is less than my billing rate as a first year associate at a big law firm.

13 years away from retiring at age 53 and looking for any way possible to retire earlier than that.

 

[brianmanahan]

Honestly - for my experience level I am underpaid. My current billing rate is less than my billing rate as a first year associate at a big law firm.

same here, if i went to a big 4 in silicon valley or seattle i think i could just about double my income

it would mean earlier retirement, but i don't want really want to live there, even for a few years

 

[K1052]

Too much for not enough.

 

[Zeze]

Partner in a small/mid size IP boutique in the northeast. $225-260k/year (total of salary and bonus). No fixed PTO (typically take 3 weeks a year). 401 with modest match. Some profit sharing. no healthcare (we get that from my wife's job). Work at home office 3x one week 2x the next.

Honestly - for my experience level I am underpaid. My current billing rate is less than my billing rate as a first year associate at a big law firm.

13 years away from retiring at age 53 and looking for any way possible to retire earlier than that.

Do you have kids? Kids are expensive to be retiring at 53 at your salary.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Do you have kids? Kids are expensive to be retiring at 53 at your salary.

I have two kids. 8 and 5. The oldest will be through school when I turn 53. The youngest will be two years in. My house will be paid off and I have no other debt. Been investing for retirement since I was 19. My retirement at age 53 is already fully funded, provided I see a yearly 6% return on investments (a big if). I literally dont have to put another penny in if I dont want to, but I still throw about $50,000 into investments each year not including my employer match.

My wife (who is also a professional) has to work a bit longer (until age 57) because that is when she can retire with a government pension. When she retires we can participate in government healthcare until age 65 - so we will be insured the entire time. Once my wife retires we plan to move to a lower cost of living area, but we might do so beforehand. Will depend on her work situation.

Long term planning and living well below your means for the win.

 

[Exterous]

My wife (who is also a professional) has to work a bit longer (until age 57)

Hopefully you handle that better than I would. That would be 4 years of me asking "How was work?" And then pointing and laughing at her for having to go to work alternated with "Yeah my day was busy too. I got up at 10 and didn't get done doing stuff until 10:30".

She needs 19.5 more years as a teacher to get health care but its stretch that she's not burned out before then so we'll probably have to think of something else when we (hopefully) retire early

 

[highland145]

Hopefully you handle that better than I would. That would be 4 years of me asking "How was work?" And then pointing and laughing at her for having to go to work alternated with "Yeah my day was busy too. I got up at 10 and didn't get done doing stuff until 10:30".

She needs 19.5 more years as a teacher to get health care but its stretch that she's not burned out before then so we'll probably have to think of something else when we (hopefully) retire early

Can I have your stuff before the arsenic take effect?

 

[Insomniator]

95k Sys Admin in NJ. Home 4 days a week which is worth, I don't know, a billion dollars to me.