[autokad]

starts at 400k? where do you get that number? I can imagine a director 3 type position, which would be true for most fields. But interviewing, talking with recruiters, and looking at salaries on glass door, facebook pays a median 130k. Amazon pays closer to the 100k side with a maximum of 165k, an absolute ceiling that shall not be passed. There is stock, but even being equal to base, still no where near a starting 400k

[throwaway84742]

We pay this much to strong PhDs with a good publication record. So do Google and FB. Must be able to code really well, though.

[skj]

Someone coming in as a research scientist (ie, the people that would have become professors) is going to be making more.