[throwmamatrain]

In general, sexy problems pay less.

I spent a decade doing sexy problems in science, got paid squat.

Now I'm in tech making 4-5x what I was doing, while using the skills I gained from there in a less sexy but much more lucrative pursuit. My team is great, so I am lucky in that regard.

Make hay while you can. The fact you have these choices is great, but career progression is what you make of it.

[nodemaker]

IMHO I would say you get paid highly precisely because you spent a decade pursuing your passions and developed skills.

[throwmamatrain]

I paid a very high price in opportunity costs, and additional degrees. If you want to peek my cohort, I am behind by about 5-7y if you were to look at salary min/maxing.

You are right in that the skills I have gave me some opportunity, but I think I could have done without the last 3y of academia trying to make it work :).

[nodemaker]

Everything makes sense in the end. Whats actually important is the stuff between your ears and the health of you and your dearest ones. Money and age are just two numbers that dont mean too much.

[throwmamatrain]

Totally! To be fair, I would not trade it for anything. I saw things no person had ever seen in the world. It's tough when you're in there though, the feelings of no escape really get to you.