[aleph_minus_one]

> PhD from MIT could very well earn less than a mid range developer even though they are contributing much more to the society and country.

If this is true, the supply of such people should be reduced (i.e. don't hand out H1B visas to them), so that by the laws of supply and demand the salaries increase for them.

[YetAnotherNick]

The problem is that research is not as beneficial to the company at least in the short term. e.g. Google wouldn't be affected much if quantum computing divison is shut down, but would be affected if google ads stops showing, even though the quality of people working in former is likely higher.