Agreed to the part about job security being terrible in the U.S, but it’s worth mentioning that the premium you get in income for living in for example San Francisco far outweighs the cost of housing.
You can always cut back on expenses, you can’t just increase your salary. I will take high cost of living with a high salary any day and just cut back on non essentials. If you’re eating out all the time and a meal is $20 vs $5, that will add up to a lot, but if you’re spending 50 cents on an egg instead of 10 cents, you’ll still be making way more in a HCOL area. Plus programming has the best paying remote opportunities, so you can have the best of both worlds if you’re talented.
That’s the best possible outcome. We’re super lucky in this industry because we have the best paying remote work opportunities out there. Before you couldn’t get an SF job in a LCOL area, and even with a COL adjustment, you are still making closer to an SF salary than a rural Penn salary.
I mean, American programmers seem to make a ton.
Yes but they live in places that cost a ton, and then get fired with no notice.
Agreed to the part about job security being terrible in the U.S, but it’s worth mentioning that the premium you get in income for living in for example San Francisco far outweighs the cost of housing.
You can always cut back on expenses, you can’t just increase your salary. I will take high cost of living with a high salary any day and just cut back on non essentials. If you’re eating out all the time and a meal is $20 vs $5, that will add up to a lot, but if you’re spending 50 cents on an egg instead of 10 cents, you’ll still be making way more in a HCOL area. Plus programming has the best paying remote opportunities, so you can have the best of both worlds if you’re talented.
I live in rural Pennsylvania but I work remotely for a San Francisco startup.
I get paid less than my coworkers who live in big cities, but more than any of my friends who live in my area except one who’s also a programmer.
That’s the best possible outcome. We’re super lucky in this industry because we have the best paying remote work opportunities out there. Before you couldn’t get an SF job in a LCOL area, and even with a COL adjustment, you are still making closer to an SF salary than a rural Penn salary.
Exactly. I got extremely lucky on top of actively trying to game the system.