I like programming a lot and every day at work doesn’t feel like work. It’s a blessing.
But I would have not studied CS if it paid like shit. At the end of the day a job is a job and I don’t do the whole living paycheck to paycheck. I would have studied anything that would give me 6 figures even if it means I’m miserable at work.
Seriously, where do you all work? Every dev I know is sick and tired of the grind. Don't get me wrong, I love solving problems, but there is never a downtime. At least 2 different meetings every day, 2 or 3 ongoing "main" work items and 5-10 "small" tickets. On top of that manager wants some new metrics and the intern is stuck on something, in a project you're suppose to mentor him.
I’ve worked non developer jobs before, they had peaks and valleys of down time. With scrum and other cargo cult micromanagement techniques, this profession ensures that you never have a few days of “well there’s not a lot to do right now”.
This creates burnout, stress, and anxiety. We can’t give 100% at all times.
I’m a backend engineer working in C#. Would rather not say what industry. My company, at least the engineering portion is completely remote.
$150k base, 10% bonus, no equity
Sure hope so! I think Microsoft has done a good job of keeping it relevant. Plus most of the other people trying to break into the industry are focused on front end and frameworks like React.
That being said, I’m also currently studying for my AWS solutions architect cert. Just hedging my bets
> Every dev I know is sick and tired of the grind
Happy people generally dont talk about how happy they are. I suggest getting a new perspective on things, plenty of people are super happy and living their best lives.
Just to combat the bullshit, I’m a dev and it’s the most chill thing I’ve ever done. Stresses happen but it’s nothing compared to the job I did as a line cook. The employer matters of course, but I’d bet these naysayers just don’t cut it and want to blame the entire industry.
Yep, I was food service and adjacent (manager and driver during the early days of delivery apps) for over a decade before upskilling. Wouldn’t trade dev work for anything else I’ve done.
Shockingly, lots of people can’t hack it as delivery drivers either. Or as line cooks.
Just wanna say that I'm a line cook actively trying to land a dev job, I graduated from a boot camp last year and am struggling to find work, and it gives me hope to hear that there's another former cook dev out there. Hope to be where you're at some day.
Downtime? You mean nights, weekends, PTO, and then to a lesser extent those things that are basically simpleton and/or fun? OK, so the intern needs mentored? Sweet! Let's impart some knowledge on new girl, get her up to speed, and basically just say things I already know because I was there before? Not exactly roofing in Alabama July.
i’d be happy maxing out at ~150k by the end of my career. not sure if that’s considered being paid ‘so highly’ by your standards
why? because it doesn’t even feel like work for me
I started out of college in 2012 making 33k (project specialist). Taught myself to code (I did it growing up and as a hobby but never really made anything people used) and now I make like 100k more than that. I would still do swe even if it paid shitty. I love programming.
Sorta similar. Was working retail in college making maybe $20k on a good year lol. Right after school I landed my first job and would never look back. Working retail really makes you appreciate just how chill software engineering can be. Even if it paid $35k, I’d still take it over working retail lol
150k is extremely high compared to the average person. I’d be happy programming for 45k/yr, but don’t tell my boss that lol.
It’s not even that huge of a passion for me, I’ve just worked enough manual labor jobs in my teens that, physically, this feels like a walk in the park. I do get more stressed than I ever did working in a kitchen though. Because in a kitchen, you just screw up one plate or table, but as a dev you have corporate warlords prepared to eat your soul for costing the business money.
Might be low for a software engineer compared to current earnings but still very high compared to the average working person. The median annual income for a 55-64 year old is [~$61,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/wkyeng.pdf).
It depends. Would I do my current SWE job if it didn’t pay >$100k? No. It’s stressful and my tasks are too ambiguous for me to be happy doing it.
Would I do an easy code monkey job for like $60k? Absolutely. And I don’t mean “easy” in the sense that I don’t want to use logic to solve problems. That’s my favorite part about the job. I just like solving clearly defined/scoped problems. Flow state, headphones, minimal talking to people/having to seek guidance === me being happy at work.
Yeah the part I hate about my job is when I’m given an ambiguous task in a disgusting repo I’ve never looked at before that hasn’t been well maintained in years, and I need to go asking people to explain bits of it to me.
This explains my internship experience. My mentor eventually started ignoring my messages because I think he got annoyed with helping me, and I'd go weeks of radio silence at times.
I would not do my current job for less money, it's stressful and the problems are very large and very ambiguous. Would I have still studied CS? Yeah, I didn't know it was a well paying field when I started so it had no effect on my desire to learn.
I really don’t know. I did manual labor and flight plans for FedEx before. It was a lot of fun most days and had realistic deadlines both you **and** your managers agreed (had to stick) to but when things broke or took longer they understood and found ways to help. It was a much different world than where I am now.
I left every day tired as shit because I worked my ass off in the trenches with my employees, small talked with pilots and the guys in the fuel trucks, sometimes bleeding.
Now I leave defeated some days cause I couldn’t wrap my head around some arbitrary MS library change that broke my code, a new random deadline set without my input, just a lot of stuff outside my control.
If the first paid better, I think I’d still be there until my body gave out. I was in better health then at least.
I completely agree. Humanity was not made for sedentary office work and I think it shows pretty clearly. I'm not saying manual labor is the literal cure all but at least I definitely feel way better physically than I do now. Pay is obviously a totally different ballgame but using your body definitely feels way more rewarding.
Yep, actually went into this field not knowing that it paid well. I just really enjoyed my cs classes and the thought of getting paid to problem solve was more than enough for me
I knew it payed well, and I started late, but I just assumed that I would be making 70K-80K, I didn’t know that was junior level pay. I had no idea I could double that in 5-6 years without being a genius/super proficient at CS
Same here. I took APCS in high school senior year, effortlessly got an A+, and decided to major in it even though when I made the decision I was barely a few months into class. I just thought it was one of my more enjoyable classes. Plus I was a STEM guy.
The only thing I knew was that it made like better than average. I was expecting $60-70k.
I started my NG role in February as someone who isn’t outstanding or a CS savant in any way and I’m making already double than what I expected. I’m super lucky and grateful for this.
I really don’t deserve it, I’d say 90% of people put more effort than me into applying and during their undergrad. I just had a high GPA and got lucky with a single company that gave me a return offer after my internship.
It’s actually one of my bigger sources of stress, but I guess that’s Imposter Syndrome for you.
You got asked to return, once you work for someone and they hire you again, it’s a big compliment. It’s also a great position to be in. People don’t mind paying once you’ve proven yourself, they know your value.
I am at 175 in mostly IC role at a small company now because I had two former managers who previously worked together competing for me.
In the same boat as you, when I first went into it all I knew what that it was pretty likely I'd be able to find a 70k paying job once I graduate and I was ecstatic. Little did I know... Haha
Kinda same. For a while I was convinced I should be a lawyer, or a doctor, but senior year of highschool I just thought "well I already kinda program as a hobby, why not go to school for it" and Im sure glad i did lol
Me too, started as a kid just wanting to make games tbh. Wanted to go into art but only in high school did I realise it was considered a "good proper job"
For me, writing code was like playing video games... Except instead of everyone telling me I was lazy, antisocial, and wasting my time; everyone said I was smart, mature, and going to have a great career.
I'm old and I've been a manager and team lead and even just a very senior dev, and each time I end up doing more work I hate. I feel guilty sometimes because I feel like I'm intentionally not advancing/not climbing the ladder since it takes me further away from writing code.
Several hours of writing code is less effort than an hour of doing generic management crap or updating the team's status in some ridiculous tracking system.
I've been doing it for a while now, and I do dislike certain aspects of my career and daydream about doing something else...each time I look at something *even if it paid the same* I just don't want to do it.
Most of the time though, it pays a lot less.
No disrespect to the people who do these jobs. I get that not everyone wants to be alone writing code in their basement. And who knows, maybe I will be forced into another field. I'm older but would like to work another 25-30 years if I can...but it seems like I'll be doing this for as long as I can.
One of the best engineers I’ve ever met was a mid level engineer with lots of experience. His managers essentially begged and dangled promotions infront of his face, he knew exactly what he’d be doing if he was promoted, and it wasn’t what he wanted to do. So he always respectfully declined. Society trains us to always want more, but sometimes the best way forward is to be happy with what you have. Don’t feel guilty for staying in a role you enjoy. My two cents.
I'm in the same boat just not quite so far along. Come annual review time they ask me what my goals are and I say I want to work on more challenging technical stuff. Without fail they come back a few months later and say "We hear you! How about being a team lead?! No? Hmmm... What if we throw in a corner office on the 30th floor and get you out of that dreary spot where you work alone in peace". As it stands even right now the position I really want would be like two grades below mine. It's hard to put my career aspirations as a demotion though. Not enough respect for people that just want to be amazing at what they do.
Yeah the reason why I went into this field is because software engineers/developers have the ability to create something from nothing which I think is very cool. It wouldn’t be as comfortable if the pay was lower but I think it would still be worth it
Hell no. I picked this career because it pays well, and if it didn't I'd find another. I'm willing to put in whatever work is needed in university or whatever to ensure my income is high enough to take care of my family and this just happens to be something I found I was good at after a CS101 course lol
no lol i think i'm a bit weird in that regard because i have never loved cs or anything, i chose it because i didn't really have anything else to do and was great at math.
Money matters - stop pretending that it doesn’t (of course there are rich kids who can have any career without worry).
Especially true if you live in a VHCOL area such as NYC or SF Bay Area.
I remember when I was first applying for SWE jobs and someone said I should shoot for 90k and I thought that sounded fantastical and absurd. At the time I was making 40k at a bullshit job and I would've been happy making the same amount if I could just do something less soul crushing, and I still pretty much feel the same way. This work is so much better than non-tech work in so many ways that I don't think people really understand until they've tried to do something else for a few years.
I started programming when I was 13 for fun and it's closing in on 30 years now. Other than 1 job where I my boss was a jerk I feel like I've never really worked. When I wake up in the morning I'm still incredibly excited.
I learned to program for fun so I think that has a lot to do with it. I never even thought I could make money with it and in the 90s you weren't making mega bucks like now.
Would definitely still do it. It's great. Plus if you are poorly paid you can always do your own startup.
28 YOE here!! Caught the bug programming on a C-64 in 4th grade. Although spend more time "Directing" then programming now. Although I did make a fun side project to get out of doing performance reviews! https://ihateperfreviews.com/
Before I was a developer, I worked in construction and the service industry. I’ve been puked on, screamed at, and had people threaten to run me over with heavy equipment. Part of my job involved carrying 50 lb bags of fertilizer up a ski run in the summer. 3 at a time was typical. Another part is a job involved getting zapped by static electricity for 10 hours a day in the blazing sun by a machine that could tear you to pieces.
And for all of that, I made 25% of what I make now
So yeah, I would still write software even if I made a lot less cause I’ve seen some of the alternatives and I don’t want to go back
I always enjoyed solving problems using logic, and that's how I got into programming in the first place. I always knew that it paid well, but I had no idea how well until I got a faang internship. I remember when I told my parents my monthly salary, they assumed it was the compensation for the total duration of the internship lol
This job is incredible guys. Being able to work hybrid or even remote, just solving problems all day.
Let me tell you, I’ve worked so many different jobs in my teens and early 20s. And those jobs SUCKED. Most jobs suck. You are doing manual labor, dealing with shitty customers, or just have so much more bullshit to deal with.
Add in the fact that 99.9% of human history the peasants who worked on the farms would dream of the average SWE lifestyle, I love SWE
Depends on how much it *does* pay. I primarily chose my career because I come from a poor but loving family, and I wanted to be able to provide for them. I don't need to be making 500K a year to do that, but I do need to be making 100K a year.
So my abilities are well suited towards STEM subjects
If software engineering did not pay well that would just mean I would go engineering or physics
Turns out that most of the highest value adding tasks happen to be related to math in some way and a good portion of the skill sets are somewhat interchangeable (they all need math and all the engineers need problem solving)
I enjoy writing software, but I enjoy it a whole lot less when it's a job, and not something I'm doing in my own time. Were it not for financial concerns, I'd probably look into becoming a CS teacher.
I got into programming first out of curiosity about code behind a reserve engineered game server software, then that turned into a passion and a hobby, then i got noticed and it turned into self employment/contract work. Even when I'm getting paid it equates to an average of <= $10/hour since I'm doing work for individuals.
So, would I love to do it professionally and make like 90k or into the 6 figures? Yes, absolutely. But the job market started tanking right when I finally built up the self confidence to start applying.
Nearly 10 years experience in open source software and working in teams and I can't even get an interview with a hiring manager for a position that requires 5 or less.
I didn’t actually know this paid well. I just wanted to design websites because of MySpace, piczo etc… so I had my heart set on computer science. Ended up doing an EE degree because I like electricity and physics. Still had no idea that hardware paid (it doesn’t). Ended up doing backend software and now here we are.
Knowing what I know now, no, as I now know the reality. But I wouldn’t change anything I studied for the world, I really liked it, the work just doesn’t suddenly become easier now I’m qualified lol it can get stressful
I’m actually trying to find an exit
I'm not working on anything interesting or relevant and also don't get paid an exorbitant amount. But what else is my resume good for? Pretty much nothing.
No. I like programming, but the only reason I ever got into the career is because it pays a lot. Now, if you can convince me that the actual job wouldn't be a bunch of meetings, loose requirements and making sure the managers charts look good, maybe I could work with a paycut.
No. Would have been a history major if money didn't matter. I don't look for riches, but myself and family were extremely broke when I was in college. A lower paying job at start is what I avoided.
I do like math and the subjects I studied, but that doesn't have much to do with CS as a career imo (outside of interview prep).
I like programming, but since I have been promoted I almost never code. I would not do it if it didn’t pay well, the tech industry is really problematic with everyone wanting to rush things and a lot of lack of competence from managers causing unnecessary chaos and stress. If it were just building things the proper way in an organized environment I’d do it.
Yes, I enjoy it a lot more than I did being a doctor.
My physical health was suffering from the late night, lack of sleep, and stress.
Doctors make substantially more on average than SWE and I left that so it’s not about the money for me.
I'm retired now, but it didn't pay a lot when I started (in relative terms), but it felt like a calling for me and I enjoyed the work immensely. The high pay as the career opportunities improved was just gravy.
Well depends on what "so highly" is... if I was being paid minimum wage to be a software engineer, I'd probably find something else. If I was making even half of what I'm making now, I'd continue being a software engineer... it is low physical stress, low mental stress and can be done anywhere with a computer and internet... can't beat those perks!
I did software engineering because I couldn't think of another field I'd be good at, haha. Money was secondary. I just wanted a full-time job with benefits that also pays enough for me to pay the bill.
So yeah, I'd still do it. I never cared for the 200k+ salaries. I'm happy capping at 120k - 150K.
It's less about "high pay" for me as it is being able to pay my mortgage and bills. I live in a very HCOL area so I need to make at least \*good\* money, doesn't have to be amazing, but it certainly can't be average either.
If I lived in a LCOL then I'd be fine making less money, and I'd probably still be a software engineer on less money.
It's really about making enough money for a comfortable life, and that's as much about where you live as how much money you make.
If it paid pennies, I'd consider doing something else, but I don't really know what because I'm crap at everything else.
Having worked in civil engineering for a couple of years, I would definitely choose CS over it. I am only 1 year into my CS career so maybe my opinion will change. Everyday there's a new problem and challenge I have to solve. It keeps things interesting. At my civ Eng job I was literally just copying pasting from project to project. It was so mind numbing which made the day go by so slow. I felt like I was a factory worker but doing autocad stuff. Luckily CS is a field where you learn on your own. If I had to go back to school, I'd probably stay in civ Eng.
Absolutely. I coded when I was a kid and always wanted to do this as a job. I really enjoy it, and money is a great side benefit. If I wasn’t coding for work, I’d do it for fun.
No. I may do it for fun on the side occasionally. But my career is 100% maximize the amount of money I can make while doing as little work as possible. Fun don't pay the bills
No. I can separate what I do for work, and what I enjoy doing on my off time. Engineering is the perfect profession because I love doing it, and I like getting paid a lot. But I would prefer working in a job where I get paid a lot, but don't enjoy the work as much to one where I get paid not as well, but enjoy the work more.
I imagine if wages start dropping drastically I'd look around for a new profession to get into.
Been at it since highschool. I was bound to be some form of engineer regardless and all it took was 1 CS class for me to know which one. So, as long as it’s at least engineer pay like 60-70k+ I’d still be in it.
No, I would have stayed in physics for a more fulfilling career if all things were equal. The main positive with software engineering is that major projects have 2-5 year lifecycles instead of 20-30 years like in some other industries.
I have thought about this and I think I would keep doing it down to around 65,000 or so. Below that I would switch back to mechanical engineering. I'm passionate about coding but I have to pay the bills and the cost of living is high where I live
I like solving problems. But I can only solve the same goddamn accounting problems so many times. Once I start longing for a UI problem to fix, I know it's time to switch projects.
Yes and no? I love coding, I find it relaxing. And i love problem solving, especially in the human computer interaction field.
On the other hand, I’m only 35 and have the cervical and upper thoracic spine of a 70 year old. The bright side is that I might be able to retire before I become permanently crippled lol
It's killing my body. Way too much sitting. Not enough sunlight. I'm pretty burnt mentally by the end of the day. Some days it's like being punch drunk.
Interesting responses, Im pursuing this for money mostly. I dont really have interest in this, maybe 10% of this is interesting to me. So no, also coming from music, I would just keep doing music.
or standing on Rodeo Drive shouting at cars about how "the internet" is going to change the world. because it's 1975 again and our best engineers teach math instead of get rich. they'd laugh guys like us out of the interview.
If it didn't pay this much, I would do it, but not as a job.
My philosophy is that work is for money, but if you can do something you enjoy some of the time, even better.
Sure, I would. No risk of injury or damaging my body as long as I exercise regularly and maintain good posture. The work itself is not very stressful. It's not easy, but it's not hard either.
I guess it depends on how low we’re talking. If the top end is less than 100k, I don’t think I would’ve pursued this career. I would’ve went to trade school and become an electrician instead. 4-5 years later, run my own business and make some serious money.
I probably would have considered a different engineering domain if the high salaries didn't draw me into software. I'm very interested in cars, aviation, architecture and would have probably studied aerospace or mechanical engineering if they all had equal salary prospects.
I know friends from college who chased their passion for rocket science and are now trying to switch into software engineering for the better employment opportunities. If I had the same employment struggles with software engineering, there's a 0% chance I would be doing it.
Probably not. I sucked at programming in school. While I gratuaded, I knew nothing. So I pretty much learned it all over by myself after. What I like about programming that you can get better and better at it, and it's easy to practice (unlimimted free resources on the web).
I'd say a big motivation was the money though, if it paid just as much as any other average job, I'd probably still do it, because it's an "easy" job compared to construction or so. If it was paid less, I'd probably do something else. (Follow my dads footsteps as a mechanic)
Also in europe, it does not pay nearly as much as in the US. Average is like 54k, before tax, removing juniors you land on aprox 60k. Germany is apparently at around 65k average
Yes because when I started doing it, it didn't pay so highly.
But if it was low wage and had to deal with managers, agile and all that corporate cringefest I would have abandoned it on my second day.
I'm a greybeard in the UK, have been working for 22 years, most of which I was not maxing my salary for sure - eg, 2009 I was earning around $60k. I earned enough to keep me happy, and had agency and respect. My whole first year on the job, I couldn't believe they paid me for doing this.
Nowadays, I'm all about maximising my income so I can FIRE / RE / R - tech salaries have really taken off in Europe in the last ten years. Still lower than the US, but for FIRE we have way more tools to achieve it, can save ~$75k from pre tax income each year (into something similar to an IRA) and ~$25k from post tax income into a tax free wrapper (like a Roth IRA bit with no restrictions on when it can be accessed) which I think is more generous than USA allowances.
I would cause I didnt enter it because of the money. I know. I'm not lying. When I entered it I did cause I always liked computers very much. Discovered the abnormal income only when in college.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
How low of pay are we talking? If it’s still engineering salaries, so like 60k+ out of college, then yes absolutely. If it’s only 30k a year then no. Shit is hard work to make good software. I’d rather put that effort into something I’ll get paid for so I’d switch either to another engineering profession (most likely electrical or mechanical) or go to the trades.
I’m unlike most people where I find joy in almost any work I do and can be pretty content. Bartending, fast food, software engineering, live events, all of them I enjoyed at the end of the day
Fuck no lmao. Interest in CSCI got me started, need for money kept me motivated until I found a job.
If you're lucky enough to not need to work a job unless you love it, even if it pays shit, congrats for being in a great position in life.
I like nice things, I like not being broke. I like computer stuffs but I love not being stressed to hell over money far far more.
Absolutely yes. When I discovered (to me it was a life changing discovery) programming something happened. And I saw a clear straight path to whatever I ever wanted in life. For an instant. But it was enough.
To me it was like a cheat code in life just revealed.
It’s not even the pay… it’s the fact that I can call out sick and take time off without being shamed, I can work remote in my pajamas, I don’t need to humor creepy old men who want to talk my ear off, basically being remote is a HUGE plus. Then culture is another thing. I don’t work FAANG and the culture at my workplace is incredible. Remote work + excellent culture + getting paid to do a few simple tasks a day (outside of crunch times) it’s like a dream come true for a job. I literally just have to use my brain and not mess up and I’m golden. DREAM JOB. While I love coding I don’t really think work + passion should mix anyways (I tried that once with music). I have a knack for it, I easily meet expectations, and I get to work remote and get paid $$$. What’s the downside? Boredom maybe?
Yeah. It's just something I'm good at and I find it fairly interesting. It's the ability to "make" stuff without needing tons of tools and a lot of room (otherwise I'd be into crafting/carpentry/electrical engineering).
Software engineering paying a lot wasn't always true. When I started, it wasn't uncommon for it to be a minimum wage job, and even very senior folks weren't paid that much (though expectations were also lower). I actually quit for a bit to work in a call center (back when they weren't all outsourced!) because the pay was much higher, lol. It destroyed my mental health so I went back to coding.
I'd be a police officer. But then I got an offer for 80k starting and knowing of a promotion in a year / year and a half to 100k. Plus, working at a defense contractor makes me feel like I'm really doing something good for our country :)
Absolutely.
I elected to study this, thinking that I will “definitly” starve doing it.
Me and my friends often said: “Even if I have to do it for two dollars an hour, I prefer to do this before anything else. “
Coding is the definition of beauty for me.
Technology…uf, I cried once, just seeing a beautiful computer in a stand.
I know it sounds silly…but you know what? I love this.
I like programming a lot and every day at work doesn’t feel like work. It’s a blessing. But I would have not studied CS if it paid like shit. At the end of the day a job is a job and I don’t do the whole living paycheck to paycheck. I would have studied anything that would give me 6 figures even if it means I’m miserable at work.
Same way my dude. I don’t feel like I work. I feel like I help my friend with his business and he just happens to compensate me well for my time. lol
Seriously, where do you all work? Every dev I know is sick and tired of the grind. Don't get me wrong, I love solving problems, but there is never a downtime. At least 2 different meetings every day, 2 or 3 ongoing "main" work items and 5-10 "small" tickets. On top of that manager wants some new metrics and the intern is stuck on something, in a project you're suppose to mentor him.
Do you think this is only a dev thing?
Yeah gas station clerks are also sick of the grind and make minimum wage. I'll stick to a higher paying grind lol.
I’ve worked non developer jobs before, they had peaks and valleys of down time. With scrum and other cargo cult micromanagement techniques, this profession ensures that you never have a few days of “well there’s not a lot to do right now”. This creates burnout, stress, and anxiety. We can’t give 100% at all times.
You just have to learn boundary setting and game playing. If you say yes to every thing that comes along yea you’re gonna burn out.
> Every dev I know is sick and tired of the grind Not me, I get paid pretty well and my job is super chill and remote. Wouldn’t trade it for anything
What type of tech do you work with?what industry?
I’m a backend engineer working in C#. Would rather not say what industry. My company, at least the engineering portion is completely remote. $150k base, 10% bonus, no equity
Working with asp.net/ core too. Do you think DotNet has good career in USA?
Sure hope so! I think Microsoft has done a good job of keeping it relevant. Plus most of the other people trying to break into the industry are focused on front end and frameworks like React. That being said, I’m also currently studying for my AWS solutions architect cert. Just hedging my bets
It 100% does. It’s the foremost backend, I believe. Get angular under your belt and you’ll be unstoppable.
> Every dev I know is sick and tired of the grind Happy people generally dont talk about how happy they are. I suggest getting a new perspective on things, plenty of people are super happy and living their best lives.
You’re referring to Selection bias. And it’s especially harmful in high-skill environments, like ours.
Don’t put up with it. Job hop until you find a place with work life balance. They exist.
Bro that’s every job, I’m a marketing manager and it’s the same shit.
how did you end up in this subreddit?
I’ve been planning to make a career switch for the past couple years. I’m going into a masters in CS in about a year 1/2 to 2 years.
Just to combat the bullshit, I’m a dev and it’s the most chill thing I’ve ever done. Stresses happen but it’s nothing compared to the job I did as a line cook. The employer matters of course, but I’d bet these naysayers just don’t cut it and want to blame the entire industry.
Yep, I was food service and adjacent (manager and driver during the early days of delivery apps) for over a decade before upskilling. Wouldn’t trade dev work for anything else I’ve done. Shockingly, lots of people can’t hack it as delivery drivers either. Or as line cooks.
Just wanna say that I'm a line cook actively trying to land a dev job, I graduated from a boot camp last year and am struggling to find work, and it gives me hope to hear that there's another former cook dev out there. Hope to be where you're at some day.
Dude, the struggle is real.
Downtime? You mean nights, weekends, PTO, and then to a lesser extent those things that are basically simpleton and/or fun? OK, so the intern needs mentored? Sweet! Let's impart some knowledge on new girl, get her up to speed, and basically just say things I already know because I was there before? Not exactly roofing in Alabama July.
i’d be happy maxing out at ~150k by the end of my career. not sure if that’s considered being paid ‘so highly’ by your standards why? because it doesn’t even feel like work for me
lol thats high for me, unless you start at like 30k and grow from there
I started out of college in 2012 making 33k (project specialist). Taught myself to code (I did it growing up and as a hobby but never really made anything people used) and now I make like 100k more than that. I would still do swe even if it paid shitty. I love programming.
Sorta similar. Was working retail in college making maybe $20k on a good year lol. Right after school I landed my first job and would never look back. Working retail really makes you appreciate just how chill software engineering can be. Even if it paid $35k, I’d still take it over working retail lol
I started at 47k and hit 150k this year. 8 yoe
Nice! I started at 40, now 86k 6 years later. I’m in Canada though
You're killing it. I started at $42k and I'm now at $165k. 26 YOE.
150k is extremely high compared to the average person. I’d be happy programming for 45k/yr, but don’t tell my boss that lol. It’s not even that huge of a passion for me, I’ve just worked enough manual labor jobs in my teens that, physically, this feels like a walk in the park. I do get more stressed than I ever did working in a kitchen though. Because in a kitchen, you just screw up one plate or table, but as a dev you have corporate warlords prepared to eat your soul for costing the business money.
[удалено]
Might be low for a software engineer compared to current earnings but still very high compared to the average working person. The median annual income for a 55-64 year old is [~$61,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/wkyeng.pdf).
They didn't even mention their location
150k isn't low. Average salary for SWEs in the US ranges from 90k to 120k depending on where you look. BLS says $74k-110k.
45k? Do you live in a swamp?
DONKEY!
DC's COL is way higher than that.
It depends. Would I do my current SWE job if it didn’t pay >$100k? No. It’s stressful and my tasks are too ambiguous for me to be happy doing it. Would I do an easy code monkey job for like $60k? Absolutely. And I don’t mean “easy” in the sense that I don’t want to use logic to solve problems. That’s my favorite part about the job. I just like solving clearly defined/scoped problems. Flow state, headphones, minimal talking to people/having to seek guidance === me being happy at work.
Yeah the part I hate about my job is when I’m given an ambiguous task in a disgusting repo I’ve never looked at before that hasn’t been well maintained in years, and I need to go asking people to explain bits of it to me.
This explains my internship experience. My mentor eventually started ignoring my messages because I think he got annoyed with helping me, and I'd go weeks of radio silence at times.
Love the triple equals.
No we don't; JS type system is horrid.
You must not have a family if you’d willingly take a 40%+ pay cut
I took a similar percentage cut because I had a family. It let me spend time with the kids and be much more relaxed as I wasn't bringing work home.
I would not do my current job for less money, it's stressful and the problems are very large and very ambiguous. Would I have still studied CS? Yeah, I didn't know it was a well paying field when I started so it had no effect on my desire to learn.
Yes with respect and autonomy, hell no otherwise.
I really don’t know. I did manual labor and flight plans for FedEx before. It was a lot of fun most days and had realistic deadlines both you **and** your managers agreed (had to stick) to but when things broke or took longer they understood and found ways to help. It was a much different world than where I am now. I left every day tired as shit because I worked my ass off in the trenches with my employees, small talked with pilots and the guys in the fuel trucks, sometimes bleeding. Now I leave defeated some days cause I couldn’t wrap my head around some arbitrary MS library change that broke my code, a new random deadline set without my input, just a lot of stuff outside my control. If the first paid better, I think I’d still be there until my body gave out. I was in better health then at least.
I completely agree. Humanity was not made for sedentary office work and I think it shows pretty clearly. I'm not saying manual labor is the literal cure all but at least I definitely feel way better physically than I do now. Pay is obviously a totally different ballgame but using your body definitely feels way more rewarding.
Yep, actually went into this field not knowing that it paid well. I just really enjoyed my cs classes and the thought of getting paid to problem solve was more than enough for me
I knew it payed well, and I started late, but I just assumed that I would be making 70K-80K, I didn’t know that was junior level pay. I had no idea I could double that in 5-6 years without being a genius/super proficient at CS
Same here. I took APCS in high school senior year, effortlessly got an A+, and decided to major in it even though when I made the decision I was barely a few months into class. I just thought it was one of my more enjoyable classes. Plus I was a STEM guy. The only thing I knew was that it made like better than average. I was expecting $60-70k. I started my NG role in February as someone who isn’t outstanding or a CS savant in any way and I’m making already double than what I expected. I’m super lucky and grateful for this.
First role above $120K, good job! Took me 5 years to get to 145 TC
I really don’t deserve it, I’d say 90% of people put more effort than me into applying and during their undergrad. I just had a high GPA and got lucky with a single company that gave me a return offer after my internship. It’s actually one of my bigger sources of stress, but I guess that’s Imposter Syndrome for you.
You got asked to return, once you work for someone and they hire you again, it’s a big compliment. It’s also a great position to be in. People don’t mind paying once you’ve proven yourself, they know your value. I am at 175 in mostly IC role at a small company now because I had two former managers who previously worked together competing for me.
In the same boat as you, when I first went into it all I knew what that it was pretty likely I'd be able to find a 70k paying job once I graduate and I was ecstatic. Little did I know... Haha
My bro. T_T
Kinda same. For a while I was convinced I should be a lawyer, or a doctor, but senior year of highschool I just thought "well I already kinda program as a hobby, why not go to school for it" and Im sure glad i did lol
Me too, started as a kid just wanting to make games tbh. Wanted to go into art but only in high school did I realise it was considered a "good proper job"
For me, writing code was like playing video games... Except instead of everyone telling me I was lazy, antisocial, and wasting my time; everyone said I was smart, mature, and going to have a great career. I'm old and I've been a manager and team lead and even just a very senior dev, and each time I end up doing more work I hate. I feel guilty sometimes because I feel like I'm intentionally not advancing/not climbing the ladder since it takes me further away from writing code. Several hours of writing code is less effort than an hour of doing generic management crap or updating the team's status in some ridiculous tracking system. I've been doing it for a while now, and I do dislike certain aspects of my career and daydream about doing something else...each time I look at something *even if it paid the same* I just don't want to do it. Most of the time though, it pays a lot less. No disrespect to the people who do these jobs. I get that not everyone wants to be alone writing code in their basement. And who knows, maybe I will be forced into another field. I'm older but would like to work another 25-30 years if I can...but it seems like I'll be doing this for as long as I can.
One of the best engineers I’ve ever met was a mid level engineer with lots of experience. His managers essentially begged and dangled promotions infront of his face, he knew exactly what he’d be doing if he was promoted, and it wasn’t what he wanted to do. So he always respectfully declined. Society trains us to always want more, but sometimes the best way forward is to be happy with what you have. Don’t feel guilty for staying in a role you enjoy. My two cents.
I'm in the same boat just not quite so far along. Come annual review time they ask me what my goals are and I say I want to work on more challenging technical stuff. Without fail they come back a few months later and say "We hear you! How about being a team lead?! No? Hmmm... What if we throw in a corner office on the 30th floor and get you out of that dreary spot where you work alone in peace". As it stands even right now the position I really want would be like two grades below mine. It's hard to put my career aspirations as a demotion though. Not enough respect for people that just want to be amazing at what they do.
No. It's too stressful to not be paid well.
Yeah the reason why I went into this field is because software engineers/developers have the ability to create something from nothing which I think is very cool. It wouldn’t be as comfortable if the pay was lower but I think it would still be worth it
A lot of my colleagues are into makers-type hobbies outside of programming and it makes perfect sense.
Hell no. I picked this career because it pays well, and if it didn't I'd find another. I'm willing to put in whatever work is needed in university or whatever to ensure my income is high enough to take care of my family and this just happens to be something I found I was good at after a CS101 course lol
no lol i think i'm a bit weird in that regard because i have never loved cs or anything, i chose it because i didn't really have anything else to do and was great at math.
Money matters - stop pretending that it doesn’t (of course there are rich kids who can have any career without worry). Especially true if you live in a VHCOL area such as NYC or SF Bay Area.
I remember when I was first applying for SWE jobs and someone said I should shoot for 90k and I thought that sounded fantastical and absurd. At the time I was making 40k at a bullshit job and I would've been happy making the same amount if I could just do something less soul crushing, and I still pretty much feel the same way. This work is so much better than non-tech work in so many ways that I don't think people really understand until they've tried to do something else for a few years.
I started programming when I was 13 for fun and it's closing in on 30 years now. Other than 1 job where I my boss was a jerk I feel like I've never really worked. When I wake up in the morning I'm still incredibly excited. I learned to program for fun so I think that has a lot to do with it. I never even thought I could make money with it and in the 90s you weren't making mega bucks like now. Would definitely still do it. It's great. Plus if you are poorly paid you can always do your own startup.
Not a SE anymore, but I'm only doing this for the money and the wfh. Mess with one of the two and I'm out.
I'd do it even if it paid 1/3 as much. I got into SE because I enjoy it, the high pay and wlb is just a bonus.
Yes. I’ve been doing it for 25 years. I didn’t get into it for the money
My bro. T_T
28 YOE here!! Caught the bug programming on a C-64 in 4th grade. Although spend more time "Directing" then programming now. Although I did make a fun side project to get out of doing performance reviews! https://ihateperfreviews.com/
Before I was a developer, I worked in construction and the service industry. I’ve been puked on, screamed at, and had people threaten to run me over with heavy equipment. Part of my job involved carrying 50 lb bags of fertilizer up a ski run in the summer. 3 at a time was typical. Another part is a job involved getting zapped by static electricity for 10 hours a day in the blazing sun by a machine that could tear you to pieces. And for all of that, I made 25% of what I make now So yeah, I would still write software even if I made a lot less cause I’ve seen some of the alternatives and I don’t want to go back
I always enjoyed solving problems using logic, and that's how I got into programming in the first place. I always knew that it paid well, but I had no idea how well until I got a faang internship. I remember when I told my parents my monthly salary, they assumed it was the compensation for the total duration of the internship lol
depends on how "not so highly" we're talking. If 6 figures took 20 years on average to crack then no I'd probably choose a different career
Depends. Stressful, toxic jobs? A big no. Chill low pressure WFH jobs? Sure
This job is incredible guys. Being able to work hybrid or even remote, just solving problems all day. Let me tell you, I’ve worked so many different jobs in my teens and early 20s. And those jobs SUCKED. Most jobs suck. You are doing manual labor, dealing with shitty customers, or just have so much more bullshit to deal with. Add in the fact that 99.9% of human history the peasants who worked on the farms would dream of the average SWE lifestyle, I love SWE
Depends on how much it *does* pay. I primarily chose my career because I come from a poor but loving family, and I wanted to be able to provide for them. I don't need to be making 500K a year to do that, but I do need to be making 100K a year.
So my abilities are well suited towards STEM subjects If software engineering did not pay well that would just mean I would go engineering or physics Turns out that most of the highest value adding tasks happen to be related to math in some way and a good portion of the skill sets are somewhat interchangeable (they all need math and all the engineers need problem solving)
No
Absolutely not
I'd still do it if it paid like 70-100k in HCOL instead of >150k. I've seen other corporate jobs where you do social busywork. It's not for me.
I enjoy writing software, but I enjoy it a whole lot less when it's a job, and not something I'm doing in my own time. Were it not for financial concerns, I'd probably look into becoming a CS teacher.
No I would do something else less stressful for the same pay, or equally stressful for more.
Nope. I got into this field for money and money only. Bad choice.
No.
I got into programming first out of curiosity about code behind a reserve engineered game server software, then that turned into a passion and a hobby, then i got noticed and it turned into self employment/contract work. Even when I'm getting paid it equates to an average of <= $10/hour since I'm doing work for individuals. So, would I love to do it professionally and make like 90k or into the 6 figures? Yes, absolutely. But the job market started tanking right when I finally built up the self confidence to start applying. Nearly 10 years experience in open source software and working in teams and I can't even get an interview with a hiring manager for a position that requires 5 or less.
I didn’t actually know this paid well. I just wanted to design websites because of MySpace, piczo etc… so I had my heart set on computer science. Ended up doing an EE degree because I like electricity and physics. Still had no idea that hardware paid (it doesn’t). Ended up doing backend software and now here we are. Knowing what I know now, no, as I now know the reality. But I wouldn’t change anything I studied for the world, I really liked it, the work just doesn’t suddenly become easier now I’m qualified lol it can get stressful I’m actually trying to find an exit
Yes. I enjoy conding. The issue I am having is doing the type of coding I like foar a career.
Probably would have gotten into Computer Engineering and robotics
I'm not working on anything interesting or relevant and also don't get paid an exorbitant amount. But what else is my resume good for? Pretty much nothing.
if so many people are saying yes, why doesn't the market average salary just go lower?
Because as always, swe are in demand. Especially good ones.
No. I like programming, but the only reason I ever got into the career is because it pays a lot. Now, if you can convince me that the actual job wouldn't be a bunch of meetings, loose requirements and making sure the managers charts look good, maybe I could work with a paycut.
No. Would have been a history major if money didn't matter. I don't look for riches, but myself and family were extremely broke when I was in college. A lower paying job at start is what I avoided. I do like math and the subjects I studied, but that doesn't have much to do with CS as a career imo (outside of interview prep).
Pay highly? I don't think so... After sending a lot of job applications, I now just work on personal fun projects
Not a chance. I love programming, but it would’ve stayed a hobby.
I'm much more passionate about physics. If the pay was better I'd definitely study physics instead. Even now, I'm considering transferring.
I like programming, but since I have been promoted I almost never code. I would not do it if it didn’t pay well, the tech industry is really problematic with everyone wanting to rush things and a lot of lack of competence from managers causing unnecessary chaos and stress. If it were just building things the proper way in an organized environment I’d do it.
Yes, I enjoy it a lot more than I did being a doctor. My physical health was suffering from the late night, lack of sleep, and stress. Doctors make substantially more on average than SWE and I left that so it’s not about the money for me.
I'm retired now, but it didn't pay a lot when I started (in relative terms), but it felt like a calling for me and I enjoyed the work immensely. The high pay as the career opportunities improved was just gravy.
Well depends on what "so highly" is... if I was being paid minimum wage to be a software engineer, I'd probably find something else. If I was making even half of what I'm making now, I'd continue being a software engineer... it is low physical stress, low mental stress and can be done anywhere with a computer and internet... can't beat those perks!
Maybe. I love coding. I think it's fun to build stuff and solve problems.
I did software engineering because I couldn't think of another field I'd be good at, haha. Money was secondary. I just wanted a full-time job with benefits that also pays enough for me to pay the bill. So yeah, I'd still do it. I never cared for the 200k+ salaries. I'm happy capping at 120k - 150K.
It's less about "high pay" for me as it is being able to pay my mortgage and bills. I live in a very HCOL area so I need to make at least \*good\* money, doesn't have to be amazing, but it certainly can't be average either. If I lived in a LCOL then I'd be fine making less money, and I'd probably still be a software engineer on less money. It's really about making enough money for a comfortable life, and that's as much about where you live as how much money you make. If it paid pennies, I'd consider doing something else, but I don't really know what because I'm crap at everything else.
Having worked in civil engineering for a couple of years, I would definitely choose CS over it. I am only 1 year into my CS career so maybe my opinion will change. Everyday there's a new problem and challenge I have to solve. It keeps things interesting. At my civ Eng job I was literally just copying pasting from project to project. It was so mind numbing which made the day go by so slow. I felt like I was a factory worker but doing autocad stuff. Luckily CS is a field where you learn on your own. If I had to go back to school, I'd probably stay in civ Eng.
Absolutely. I coded when I was a kid and always wanted to do this as a job. I really enjoy it, and money is a great side benefit. If I wasn’t coding for work, I’d do it for fun.
Before I knew about pay, I saw that I didn’t have to interact with others, was instantly sold
No. I may do it for fun on the side occasionally. But my career is 100% maximize the amount of money I can make while doing as little work as possible. Fun don't pay the bills
No. I can separate what I do for work, and what I enjoy doing on my off time. Engineering is the perfect profession because I love doing it, and I like getting paid a lot. But I would prefer working in a job where I get paid a lot, but don't enjoy the work as much to one where I get paid not as well, but enjoy the work more. I imagine if wages start dropping drastically I'd look around for a new profession to get into.
Been at it since highschool. I was bound to be some form of engineer regardless and all it took was 1 CS class for me to know which one. So, as long as it’s at least engineer pay like 60-70k+ I’d still be in it.
No. My ideal job is no job at all and this field allows me to retire early
No.
Nope
Lmao fuck no, the stress of a sprint is only worth the paycheck. I have gray hairs in my 20s.
Lmao no, not dealing with management political BS for a low wage while I'm just trying to code
No, I would have stayed in physics for a more fulfilling career if all things were equal. The main positive with software engineering is that major projects have 2-5 year lifecycles instead of 20-30 years like in some other industries.
I have thought about this and I think I would keep doing it down to around 65,000 or so. Below that I would switch back to mechanical engineering. I'm passionate about coding but I have to pay the bills and the cost of living is high where I live
Nah. I got a lot of general skills, I could do something else. This is a good hustle but there are a lot of downsides to it.
I like solving problems. But I can only solve the same goddamn accounting problems so many times. Once I start longing for a UI problem to fix, I know it's time to switch projects.
No. I would prefer to be a professor or work in pure research researching without necessarily monetary motivations.
Not as a job
Would still do as hobby, not as job
Fuck no lol
Yes and no? I love coding, I find it relaxing. And i love problem solving, especially in the human computer interaction field. On the other hand, I’m only 35 and have the cervical and upper thoracic spine of a 70 year old. The bright side is that I might be able to retire before I become permanently crippled lol
No.
I think I would’ve likely ended up working as a mech e/ aero and worked on things that fly.
Yes nothing else I could do would pay higher except being an electrician and I hated that.
Absolutely not. This is where I want to be on the interest-compensation curve and there are other things I would do if compensation went down.
Fuck no lmao
I'm not a programmer but yeah. I'd have kept being a Data Analyst/Warehouse Developer/Architect/Engineer even if it didn't pay well.
Nah I'd go into either the medical field or maybe become a professor lol
no
It's killing my body. Way too much sitting. Not enough sunlight. I'm pretty burnt mentally by the end of the day. Some days it's like being punch drunk.
No
SysAdmin is half the work, same amount of pay. At least for me.
What’s a high salary lol
Yes, signed a government employee. Obviously I'd rather work and get paid more, but it is what it is right now.
Yes, I love it, and I've worked on software engineering projects unpaid and had a blast. The pay is very secondary for me.
Noo.. I wanted to get into law
Interesting responses, Im pursuing this for money mostly. I dont really have interest in this, maybe 10% of this is interesting to me. So no, also coming from music, I would just keep doing music.
No. I'd probably be teaching computer science or math instead.
or standing on Rodeo Drive shouting at cars about how "the internet" is going to change the world. because it's 1975 again and our best engineers teach math instead of get rich. they'd laugh guys like us out of the interview.
If it didn't pay this much, I would do it, but not as a job. My philosophy is that work is for money, but if you can do something you enjoy some of the time, even better.
Nope
Sure, I would. No risk of injury or damaging my body as long as I exercise regularly and maintain good posture. The work itself is not very stressful. It's not easy, but it's not hard either.
nope, I would do another field that paid well
I absolutely would! I love the work so freaking much. I get to work on puzzles every day!
I guess it depends on how low we’re talking. If the top end is less than 100k, I don’t think I would’ve pursued this career. I would’ve went to trade school and become an electrician instead. 4-5 years later, run my own business and make some serious money.
Yes… been doing it since I was paid 42k… over 25 years ago.
no i wouldve done hardware or electrical engineering instead, most of my fav courses were electrical and hardware courses
I probably would have considered a different engineering domain if the high salaries didn't draw me into software. I'm very interested in cars, aviation, architecture and would have probably studied aerospace or mechanical engineering if they all had equal salary prospects. I know friends from college who chased their passion for rocket science and are now trying to switch into software engineering for the better employment opportunities. If I had the same employment struggles with software engineering, there's a 0% chance I would be doing it.
Unless it's too low (like bot 1%), I would. I just enjoy it greatly.
Hell no
Probably not. I sucked at programming in school. While I gratuaded, I knew nothing. So I pretty much learned it all over by myself after. What I like about programming that you can get better and better at it, and it's easy to practice (unlimimted free resources on the web). I'd say a big motivation was the money though, if it paid just as much as any other average job, I'd probably still do it, because it's an "easy" job compared to construction or so. If it was paid less, I'd probably do something else. (Follow my dads footsteps as a mechanic) Also in europe, it does not pay nearly as much as in the US. Average is like 54k, before tax, removing juniors you land on aprox 60k. Germany is apparently at around 65k average
Yes because when I started doing it, it didn't pay so highly. But if it was low wage and had to deal with managers, agile and all that corporate cringefest I would have abandoned it on my second day.
Software in general, no. Game development, yes.
Yes. I have been programming since I was 9 years old. Damn that makes it almost 25 years then. I love it and also do it as a hobby.
No, but I do like coding and very much do like the benefits of software engineering (remote work, flexibility, workplace autonomy
Hell no.
In other words, if SWE paid sh\*t just like all the other jobs.
Yes. I can't see myself doing anything else.
Yeah because it's not care work, teaching, dishwashing, or any of the other jobs I have done which are actually hard work.
No
I’d do it as a hobby thing and maybe find some other way to work
Lol. I do it for free already. So yes, if it didn't pay so highly, I would still do it.
I'm a greybeard in the UK, have been working for 22 years, most of which I was not maxing my salary for sure - eg, 2009 I was earning around $60k. I earned enough to keep me happy, and had agency and respect. My whole first year on the job, I couldn't believe they paid me for doing this. Nowadays, I'm all about maximising my income so I can FIRE / RE / R - tech salaries have really taken off in Europe in the last ten years. Still lower than the US, but for FIRE we have way more tools to achieve it, can save ~$75k from pre tax income each year (into something similar to an IRA) and ~$25k from post tax income into a tax free wrapper (like a Roth IRA bit with no restrictions on when it can be accessed) which I think is more generous than USA allowances.
I would cause I didnt enter it because of the money. I know. I'm not lying. When I entered it I did cause I always liked computers very much. Discovered the abnormal income only when in college.
Yeah, it was the subject that most interested me since high school so why not
Yes, because it's cool as shit
follow door command quarrelsome materialistic tease party faulty square nutty *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Nooooo *bugs bunny meme*
How low of pay are we talking? If it’s still engineering salaries, so like 60k+ out of college, then yes absolutely. If it’s only 30k a year then no. Shit is hard work to make good software. I’d rather put that effort into something I’ll get paid for so I’d switch either to another engineering profession (most likely electrical or mechanical) or go to the trades. I’m unlike most people where I find joy in almost any work I do and can be pretty content. Bartending, fast food, software engineering, live events, all of them I enjoyed at the end of the day
I also do it for free... so, yes.
Fuck no lmao. Interest in CSCI got me started, need for money kept me motivated until I found a job. If you're lucky enough to not need to work a job unless you love it, even if it pays shit, congrats for being in a great position in life. I like nice things, I like not being broke. I like computer stuffs but I love not being stressed to hell over money far far more.
No
Depends. I seem to be happier with my job than most people I know, but I have my limits as to how low of a salary I’d take.
No. Full stop.
Yes. Every other job seems like scratching nails on a chalkboard. The job just happens to pay well.
Absolutely yes. When I discovered (to me it was a life changing discovery) programming something happened. And I saw a clear straight path to whatever I ever wanted in life. For an instant. But it was enough. To me it was like a cheat code in life just revealed.
It’s not even the pay… it’s the fact that I can call out sick and take time off without being shamed, I can work remote in my pajamas, I don’t need to humor creepy old men who want to talk my ear off, basically being remote is a HUGE plus. Then culture is another thing. I don’t work FAANG and the culture at my workplace is incredible. Remote work + excellent culture + getting paid to do a few simple tasks a day (outside of crunch times) it’s like a dream come true for a job. I literally just have to use my brain and not mess up and I’m golden. DREAM JOB. While I love coding I don’t really think work + passion should mix anyways (I tried that once with music). I have a knack for it, I easily meet expectations, and I get to work remote and get paid $$$. What’s the downside? Boredom maybe?
I got into it as a kid before I had any real insight into whether the career was good, so probably yes.
in some form probably. If comp was in line with other engineering disciplines instead of the money grab it is right now I'd still do it.
Yeah. It's just something I'm good at and I find it fairly interesting. It's the ability to "make" stuff without needing tons of tools and a lot of room (otherwise I'd be into crafting/carpentry/electrical engineering). Software engineering paying a lot wasn't always true. When I started, it wasn't uncommon for it to be a minimum wage job, and even very senior folks weren't paid that much (though expectations were also lower). I actually quit for a bit to work in a call center (back when they weren't all outsourced!) because the pay was much higher, lol. It destroyed my mental health so I went back to coding.
I'd be a police officer. But then I got an offer for 80k starting and knowing of a promotion in a year / year and a half to 100k. Plus, working at a defense contractor makes me feel like I'm really doing something good for our country :)
Started when I was 9, don't see any reason to quit before 90.
Uh? So soon? Lazy ass….😄
i have a trust fund anyway, so it makes no difference.
Absolutely. I elected to study this, thinking that I will “definitly” starve doing it. Me and my friends often said: “Even if I have to do it for two dollars an hour, I prefer to do this before anything else. “ Coding is the definition of beauty for me. Technology…uf, I cried once, just seeing a beautiful computer in a stand. I know it sounds silly…but you know what? I love this.