[Kurtz79]

"Getting jobs and being an employee has opportunities, it's easy for many in our industry to get 200K+ salaries"

I wish we would stop repeating this, like it is some kind of universal truth.

It might be easy for tech workers living in specific parts of the US, it is simply not true for the vast majority of their collegues in other parts of the world.

[scarface74]

Translate the "200K+ salary" to "a salary that allows you to live an upper middle class lifestyle in many parts of the country".

I've participated in a few threads where software developers who were living in a poorer country in the EU weren't willing to move to a country with more opportunities in the EU because they wanted to be close to their extended families. Some basically admitted that they could move.

[indemnity]

I’m not sure if Australia or New Zealand are special cases, but such compensation (in our currencies) isn’t outlandish.

200k USD is a bit high but in general our compensation in tech here is quite good as well.

I was frankly quite surprised when I compared incomes here to Canada/UK/mainland Europe, where one would be taking a 30-50% pay cut.

[opportune]

I would slightly amend that to say that it's easy for tech workers willing to live in specific parts of the US. Nobody is tying you down to where you live currently except yourself, and probably more commonly, your own obligations and preferences regarding family/friends/lifestyle

Edit: and also your work permissions status

[albertgoeswoof]

Again, this only applies to US workers. If you’re from another country it’s not straightforward to move to the US and even if you do you’re most likely tied to a employer who isn’t going to pay 200k

[opportune]

Yes, completely agree. I guess I just indicated my US bias but for (competent) developers within the US I'd say it's pretty valid

[skgoa]

Also, it only applies to a tiny minority of "tech" sub-fields. A lot of "tech industry" employees are nowhere close to getting those salaries.

[adrianN]

If the dollar continues its downward trend...