How much salary upside do you have in tech once you hit 300k?

[Anonymous]

I’m at 6 years experience and I hit 300k comp a year ago, I’m starting to feel like hopping companies because I’ve been here 4 years but I know now is not a good time in the job market and I don’t want to hop for the same/lower salary. I know there are people who make 500k+ in tech but getting to that level feels very unattainable especially now in 2023 (vs 2021 when the market was very hot). I’m ambitious and want to level up money wise but I see lots of folks in tech plateauing as senior engineers making 300-400k, not the worst position to be in but I’m early in my career and I get most of my drive from being able to earn more the harder I work, so I feel like I will lose a lose a lot of motivation if my compensation stops going up and I hit a ceiling.

Is going into entrepreneurship a better way forward than trying to climb the corporate ladder? Or do both at the same time if I can start a side company?

[Anonymous]

Where do you work now to make that kind of money 6 years in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you work now to make that kind of money 6 years in?

Not OP. Mid/Senior technical/software roles in big tech companies easily pay that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m at 6 years experience and I hit 300k comp a year ago, I’m starting to feel like hopping companies because I’ve been here 4 years but I know now is not a good time in the job market and I don’t want to hop for the same/lower salary. I know there are people who make 500k+ in tech but getting to that level feels very unattainable especially now in 2023 (vs 2021 when the market was very hot). I’m ambitious and want to level up money wise but I see lots of folks in tech plateauing as senior engineers making 300-400k, not the worst position to be in but I’m early in my career and I get most of my drive from being able to earn more the harder I work, so I feel like I will lose a lose a lot of motivation if my compensation stops going up and I hit a ceiling.

Is going into entrepreneurship a better way forward than trying to climb the corporate ladder? Or do both at the same time if I can start a side company?

Getting into management is the way to go, OP. So if you don't see a managerial path with your current company, I would look into changing jobs once the tech sector stabilizes in bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m at 6 years experience and I hit 300k comp a year ago, I’m starting to feel like hopping companies because I’ve been here 4 years but I know now is not a good time in the job market and I don’t want to hop for the same/lower salary. I know there are people who make 500k+ in tech but getting to that level feels very unattainable especially now in 2023 (vs 2021 when the market was very hot). I’m ambitious and want to level up money wise but I see lots of folks in tech plateauing as senior engineers making 300-400k, not the worst position to be in but I’m early in my career and I get most of my drive from being able to earn more the harder I work, so I feel like I will lose a lose a lot of motivation if my compensation stops going up and I hit a ceiling.

Is going into entrepreneurship a better way forward than trying to climb the corporate ladder? Or do both at the same time if I can start a side company?

Getting into management is the way to go, OP. So if you don't see a managerial path with your current company, I would look into changing jobs once the tech sector stabilizes in bit.

This. Otherwise you will hit a natural ceiling, you are likely very close to it. Management is the only way to make big bucks unless you luck out at a startup pre ipo

[Anonymous]

Entrepreneur here if you've never been an entrepreneur there are so many risks. You have to be very good and understand how to monetize your business to get above 300K.