[aminotaa]

I have no idea about the east coast labor market, but in Bay Area $250k is what an I4-I5 gets payed at medium/large RSU granting companies.

As a software developer at I4+ you have to

- Be able to independently complete start-to-finish large features in reasonable time

- Drive resolution of complex problems (fix any bugs with your code and medium bugs elsewhere)

- Deliver high-quality work (low bug rate, low failure rate, high flexibility, great coding style, automation, documentation)

- Introduce improvement ideas and get them implemented (gets harder the more people get involved)

- Own a functional area end-to-end

- Have product-wide technical and functional knowledge (know everything that your department is working on from both developer and customer perspectives)

- Mentor junior engineers

- Excel at communication

- Participate in recruiting

If you can demonstrate the above, you should have no problems getting hired at $250k+ in Bay Area.

Getting to above $500k is another story. Took me 20 years.

[ryanx435]

RSU is "restricted stock unit"?

so basically you get equity worth 250k. But what is the actual take home pay amount?

[aminotaa]

For individual contributors, equity and bonus range from 50% to 100% of base.

For leadership, equity and bonus are from 100% to 300%.

For senior leadership you might as well have your base at $1 if you are into those kinds of stunts.

[vbtemp]

Good formalization of a value statement

[cam3ham]

$250K salary + RSUs? Or $250K total compensation?

Because the latter isn't that great with the COL in the Bay area. Also, if the company isn't already public... then forget about the RSUs!

[aminotaa]

$250k+ total comp.

Companies that offer high base tend to be lackluster on bonus and equity.

RSUs, if offered, are tradable in almost all cases. Options are vapor 90% of the time.

COL in Bay Area is not that much higher compared to TX, WA or CO.