[Jensson]

Nobody risks it all unless they bet their life, everyone can go back making salary doing basic work. For example, if a software engineer risks their life savings on a project and they lose all of that money, they can still go back and make $300k a year just doing basic work, that is hardly "risking their all" either.

[sdze]

Where the hell do you earn 300k per year? In Europe most certainly it this is not possible. Also don't forget life style creep and risk of loss of social circles.

[boring_twenties]

In the US 300k is table stakes for a developer with any experience at a profitable company, certain markets will pay way more.

[cipheredStones]

This is much easier to achieve at big tech companies in the US than you think. Look at levels.fyi and you'll see many examples of people with only a few years of experience making $300k. I personally know many people making that much three years after graduating from a coding bootcamp, and a few people who make $450k-$550k after only a couple more years than that.