[robbomacrae]

I'm curious which company pays a RS 10x more than a SE/RSE. I've found its usually SE/RSE's that make a bit more than RS's but I've never seen an RSE comp significantly outweigh an SE unless its in ML/Crypto.

On that note I wish levels.fyi had RS and RSE roles...

[exdsq]

This isn't totally crazy but it's only if you stretch the facts enough. An RSE at Oxford will earn 32k GBP, like a postdoc. In theory, that person could be so good they could get the highest starting salary possible at a Tier 1 paying company like a research engineer at Hudson River Trading, which can be > 320k TC. So it's possible but only for a very very small number of people. 3x-5x is much more likely.

[PheonixPharts]

> highest starting salary possible at a Tier 1 paying company like a research engineer at Hudson River Trading, which can be > 320k TC.

You don't have to be at a "tier 1 paying company" to exceed 320k TC, that's easily achievable at any tech company that has gone public in the NYC metro or Bay Area. TC at a FAANG (MANGA or whatever they're calling it) for a more senior IC role can easily cross the $500k mark. If you've been their awhile and have been accruing shares that have increased dramatically in value, crossing the 7 figure mark is not unheard of.

So you don't have to stretch the facts too much to realistically achieve the 10x. If you take two very qualified engineer graduating with a PhD, one chooses to go to Google and stay there the other goes to a university and works as an RSE. Fast forward a decade, you'll definitely be seeing a 10x difference in total comp.

[exdsq]

Oh after a decade sure. I was just interviewing with Meta for > $500k TC so totally believe it. I meant immediately after a PhD.

[adw]

10x more than academia. I’m a PhD in mineral physics turned Big Four MLE via startups and I earn about 10x what I would be on if I had stayed on the academic track.

[epgui]

10x is possible, but maybe 3-5x is more realistic (even for non-FAANG).