[fxtentacle]

I would say the peak 0.1% are paid much higher in the US. But the median pay might well be higher in Europe.

(EDIT: Wow, look at the numbers cheschire linked to. Median wealth per adult: US is 26th place after Israel.)

In my opinion, the cause is strong competition for the top talent worldwide. And because raising money is easier in the US and because taking risks is more common in the US, they will compete more strongly for the top talent, too.

Also, some jobs just have to pay really well to make them acceptable. In the area where I live, $60k annually will pay for a very nice lifestyle for a small family with kids. Little house with garden, hiking in nature, free childcare, schools, university, etc. But if you have to live in San Francisco, $60k annually with kids is almost impossible. Rent over there is like 5x to what I pay, so it makes sense that people will need 3x the salary to do okay. And if you then add the cost for childcare, school, and university, you really need 5x the salary in San Francisco to get a comparable lifestyle to rural Europe.