How Much I Made at Amazon in 18 Years (As a Principal Engineer)

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  • Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
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Комментарии • 85

  • @eMotionAllDamAge_
    @eMotionAllDamAge_ Месяц назад +192

    Here is the list of the yearly salary progression:
    * 2006: $35/hour as a contractor
    * 2007: $85,000 as a full-time software development engineer
    * 2008: $85,000
    * 2009: $100,000
    * 2010: $148,000
    * 2011: $190,000
    * 2012: $173,000
    * 2013: $215,000
    * 2014: $240,000
    * 2015: $243,000
    * 2016: $282,000
    * 2017: $300,000
    * 2018: $350,000
    * 2019: $400,000
    * 2020: $450,000
    * 2021: $535,000
    * 2022: $420,000
    * 2023: $539,000
    In 2024, he was expecting to make $732,000 but quit his job in May 2024.

    • @RobertMcHalffey
      @RobertMcHalffey 29 дней назад +7

      Your numbers are off. Not sure where you're getting them from.

  • @kalinda619
    @kalinda619 Месяц назад +66

    I have to say, the disclaimer at the beginning was strikingly empathetic, from the perspective of a young guy in software. A refreshing take in the Hobbesian online world of Male content creators.

    • @Neonb88
      @Neonb88 24 дня назад +2

      Yeah Steve’s always been humble and polite. Seems like he’d be easy to work with, besides his obvious wisdom from years of technical and office-political situations
      Hopefully he does find a new job soon, though. However much he’s saved, the mortgage and child rearing costs must be huge

  • @Crates-Media
    @Crates-Media 29 дней назад +18

    Truthfully, I am immediately impressed by everything about you, my friend.
    You even used one of my favorite adages: "Comparison is the thief of joy."
    IDK that we'll ever get the chance to actually be buds IRL, but, FWIW --
    You've got a new fan for life in me. Thanks for your content and equanimity.

  • @FlatFootedLlama
    @FlatFootedLlama Месяц назад +31

    Unparalleled transparency, thank you!

  • @mikPet81
    @mikPet81 Месяц назад +46

    The big difference is, this is US based, something that reflects x2/x3/x4 of what you get in most EU, let alone EEU. Also, the promotions in EU, or better said the "off-shored step-cousin offices" of the same company are waaaaay under what you get in US, this talking about faang to faang.
    Your progression in impressive, and important that your spouse is on the same level and even more important that you got a hefty amount of stocks, something again, EU jobs don't offer as many, regardless of rank.
    In the end, it's important that you managed to step away from the golden cuffs, not many get to, before it's too late.

    • @user-ps3gr3ed1z
      @user-ps3gr3ed1z 25 дней назад

      Agreed, but a big part of that is how much $ the company must pay in taxes to the govt. in order for Europeans to get free/subsidized health care. Americans must pay for sub-par insurance and out-of-pocket expenses. Add that to the differences in time off / holiday.

  • @verb0ze
    @verb0ze 29 дней назад +19

    Having an amazing wife can be the air under your wings you need to soar to higher heights. Your character as a man shows by the appreciation you show her in this vid, even when it wasn't necessary. Would love to hear your take one day on how you knew she was the one and how you guys build together, both from a financial and other aspects!

  • @samuelgunter
    @samuelgunter 23 дня назад +7

    I just finished a summer internship at Amazon and got paid a salary of $9,138 per month (minus taxes) plus a one-time housing stipend for $7,106.67 (after tax, with a "gross up"). I have a bit till i graduate but i was told by my manager to expect an offer letter in the coming months for a second summer internship

  • @alexbrady6049
    @alexbrady6049 Месяц назад +13

    I was not expecting you to bring up Financial Independence! Great way to plug that for engineers who may not be familiar with it.

  • @HL-uw7fk
    @HL-uw7fk 26 дней назад +2

    In EU, Germany these days they pay mid lvl like 75-80k so you started off quite good with 75k $. Not to mention your later years of career. Very nice! Good job!

  • @zacharym02
    @zacharym02 29 дней назад +1

    Excellent video. Congrats on your time in big tech and good luck on your new journey. I am not an ambassador of fire, don’t even follow it personally, but have recommended it to many. If that type of content is aligned with your goals for this channel a true step by step ELI5 type of video on everything from identifying the non-disc spending to outlining the setup of separate accounts, the transfers, bill pay, savings, etc would make for a good video. I feel like people get paralyzed by the process. Anyway just a thought and good luck on your future ventures!

  • @sr-xd8jb
    @sr-xd8jb 15 дней назад +2

    Thriving in one company for 18 years is a rare feat today. Wow.

  • @Coufu
    @Coufu 26 дней назад +2

    It's crazy to think how much luck and stock market plays a factor. I was lucky enough to 4x my RSU which allowed me to buy a house in the bay area in 2021, but things have been tough since then. I started from almost no savings so I feel VERY fortunate and lucky for my situation, but I can only begin to imagine what it would have been like to be a company like Amazon during its meteoric rise for the much longer run. Thanks for sharing.

  • @binaryutopia7946
    @binaryutopia7946 Месяц назад +2

    after some time, 6 months I think, if you interview Amazon and even for the same level, you may be close to 1M TC, and mostly will be cash for the 1st 2 years. I see a few people quite and rejoin for this purpose

  • @sebastijanp3
    @sebastijanp3 28 дней назад +2

    Could you make a video about what if you are those golden handcuffs as you named them and you got a lot of RSUs that get vested only in 3 years, but you are working in a team, where you suffer every day and they do not want to move you to another team?

  • @xTheITx
    @xTheITx 26 дней назад

    Thanks for sharing all your experiences - as someone that helps software engineering students and professionals alike, you'vr inspiring me to be more open and candid with everyone about the realities of growing your career and making decisions that are best for you. You have incredible insights and I wish you much success so you can grow your positive impact across the community!

  • @oladapoajala6518
    @oladapoajala6518 23 дня назад +2

    I'd love to read a book written by you about career, finances, and life.

  • @gouravkhanijoe1059
    @gouravkhanijoe1059 Месяц назад +3

    Loved every sentence 🎉🎉

  • @nomad_manhattan
    @nomad_manhattan 28 дней назад

    Always appreciate your generous sharing experiences and the transparency. I am in Product Management at Big Tech , and similarly, not form a CS background. I spent a lot of time to ramp up technical understandings. It is amazing you were able to transition into an engineering role with a liberal art background, which it is considerably bigger leap. Any advice you might be able to share for picking up technical skills with a demanding full time job :) Thanks

  • @littlebrit
    @littlebrit 25 дней назад

    I sent them a bug feedback and it took them 6 months to fix it. Very basic error, but it caused customers to overspend. It is possible that they are paid too much for the quality of work they do.

  • @jrumac
    @jrumac 22 дня назад +1

    double-team to man-to-man killed me lol

  • @bradw2k
    @bradw2k Месяц назад +3

    I thought at Amazon SDE II is L5, and Principal is L7. Did you attain L6 somewhere between 2012 and 2020, or just skip it 🙂

    • @elliottwarkus8643
      @elliottwarkus8643 26 дней назад +2

      The graphic at 11:11 is mislabeled. Sr SDE is L6, so 2012.

  • @shockre91
    @shockre91 29 дней назад +6

    you didn't need to wait to have a kid before taking significant time off. being at Amazon for so long, you had the same amount of time off as europeans get. you just didn't use it, like most americans, and chose to grind to get promoted faster.

    • @ajgoralczyk
      @ajgoralczyk 28 дней назад +3

      It's not true. In Poland you get 26 days off + unlimited sick days. You cannot get it in US.
      And if you are a woman you get 9 months of maternity leave. No company in US is even close

    • @shockre91
      @shockre91 27 дней назад +1

      @@ajgoralczyk he was getting 25 days a year at Amazon in the US. Unused time off also carries into the next year. My comment was about him not taking significant time off and making an excuse he couldn’t until he got a kid, nothing to do with maternity or parental leave. On that topic, there’s 6 weeks of paid paternity leave and many more accommodations that can be arranged if desired where that can be extended or work days lowered to 2-3 a week for example. He could also take a sabbatical leave for months. He made like 7x more a year than one would in Poland on a similar position. He could take years of unpaid time off and still be better off.

  • @alexandraarato5000
    @alexandraarato5000 22 дня назад +1

    👏👏 - what's the big thing I learnt from this? going from one kid to two makes you quit your job :D well, not exactly, but I get what you're saying

  • @vladyslavsosnov8412
    @vladyslavsosnov8412 27 дней назад

    Keep goint! Comment to support the channel

  • @IsaacC20
    @IsaacC20 29 дней назад +1

    How does RSUs work as annual compensation? They just give you X RSUs each year and then you can turn around and sell it for profit/hold it?

  • @masegraye
    @masegraye 26 дней назад +2

    You were underpaid at the end. That happens to folks who stay put in one place, sadly. Glad you’re on the other side now, in more direct control of your financial future.

  • @McFlashh
    @McFlashh 25 дней назад

    Not everyone can become a principal engineer, even if you have the experience for it because the amount of spaces available for that role is very limited. But anyway these tech companies really do pay employees very well. But software engineers are very prone to getting replaced by AI.

  • @King_Kanta
    @King_Kanta Месяц назад

    Great video as always! Thanks for sharing!

  • @dameow33
    @dameow33 Месяц назад +3

    Is that a BB58? Watch game strong as always

  • @GreenJustin8
    @GreenJustin8 25 дней назад

    What made you decide to quit this year instead of going another year or 2? How do you know you have enough?

  • @codeintherough
    @codeintherough Месяц назад +2

    $75k in 2007 is like $116k today

  • @TimPaddy
    @TimPaddy 6 дней назад

    How did you continue to receive RSU throughout your career? Are you given more RSUs, with their own new vesting schedule, as a performance bonus in later years? It's very hard to find info past 4 years; maybe most people quit...

    • @newobo
      @newobo 5 дней назад +2

      I can’t speak to Amazon specifically but yes in most big tech companies you get annual “refreshers” which give you more RSUs on a new vest schedule

  • @kingexplorers5077
    @kingexplorers5077 Месяц назад +3

    Nice!!

  • @blipblop92
    @blipblop92 25 дней назад

    Really opened my eyes with these levels of salary. It may be as hard as going to Harvard in today's world though

  • @erickrobles6365
    @erickrobles6365 29 дней назад

    Did you get refreshers every year since you started working at Amazon?

  • @ctjmaughs
    @ctjmaughs Месяц назад

    Enjoy. GL

  • @BGwControlStop
    @BGwControlStop Месяц назад +5

    I don't follow how this salary structure works
    Would Amazon pay someone like you 732K pretax for your role, What is the "base pay" 270K, At this rate your are making more than Medical specialists ie surgeons, good on you if you can get it,. Makes it more perplexing why you would walk away from it. at this rate your getting paid a lot more than many Head's of state

    • @OnePlanetOneFamily
      @OnePlanetOneFamily 25 дней назад

      he has enough. Amazon, like many tech companies print money so they can afford this level of engineering talent

    • @BGwControlStop
      @BGwControlStop 25 дней назад

      @@OnePlanetOneFamily My Experience with HR in corporate environments is they only pay this for Elite Talent, maybe that is the case here. These companies aren't charities if they don't see you delivering value , they are more than happy to give you your marching orders. but good luck to anyone who can command this type of salary.

  • @doomlord271
    @doomlord271 25 дней назад

    why is there such a big difference between 2019 and 2020? 172k rsu vs 374k rsu

    • @OnePlanetOneFamily
      @OnePlanetOneFamily 25 дней назад

      Amazon became very cash rich and borrowing was affordable in 2020, Covid was a big Driver for both of these

  • @adityathosar
    @adityathosar 27 дней назад +1

    Are you looking for a video editor to edit your videos?

  • @i_youtube_
    @i_youtube_ Месяц назад +7

    Imagine quitting your 700k job?😮😮😮

    • @kattihatt
      @kattihatt Месяц назад +24

      At some point you have enough, thats when its time to quit.

    • @JamesJohnson-et7cc
      @JamesJohnson-et7cc Месяц назад +3

      @@kattihatt true, Without a recognized purpose, our jobs can lead to stagnation, limited career mobility, burnout, and a salary plateau. When we operate solely for personal gain, it’s akin to merely breathing air-like animals: eat, sleep, poop, repeat. However, when we contribute to the greater good, we break free from this cycle and positively impact others, even if the world doesn’t always acknowledge it. I think that's what he is trying to do.

    • @kattihatt
      @kattihatt Месяц назад +4

      @@JamesJohnson-et7cc sure. But if he is financially independent, why does he need sponsors, ads and get paid for courses etc? Doesnt make sense in my mind.

    • @verb0ze
      @verb0ze 29 дней назад

      You get to a point in life that more money doesn't bring you more joy. Why sit in an office grinding and doing things that no longer bring you fulfillment when you are financially free to try out new things? One thing you have to understand about high achievers also is that their value lies in the skills they have developed. He could go back and get another 700k job anytime, he has the experience for it ;)

  • @elhadramyoubeid3911
    @elhadramyoubeid3911 Месяц назад +3

    What is your education background?

  • @Drraghavsethi
    @Drraghavsethi Месяц назад +2

    $700k salary, I must be mature. 69 “nice”

  • @Coufu
    @Coufu 26 дней назад

    Nice

  • @mr.fusion9872
    @mr.fusion9872 26 дней назад

    well not entirely accurate. if he held on to stocks from 2008 those are now many many millions

  • @Mikebremnr
    @Mikebremnr 24 дня назад

    Bro why wasn’t I doing this 18 years ago instead of being a lame ass baby

  • @charlesbannerman106
    @charlesbannerman106 28 дней назад

    Can we see the proof? Some w-2 or 1099? offer letters?

  • @ALFRED1223e
    @ALFRED1223e 4 дня назад

    Check your mail

  • @ldslmikm9393
    @ldslmikm9393 Месяц назад +5

    What is youre age?

    • @alexbrady6049
      @alexbrady6049 Месяц назад +7

      Based on him graduating college around 2005, my guess would be 40-41.

  • @DanielTorres-gd2uf
    @DanielTorres-gd2uf 26 дней назад

    nice ;)

  • @stackowoflow
    @stackowoflow 24 дня назад

    did you actually make a bed of cash for the thumbnail lol

  • @Nicole-yy1kn
    @Nicole-yy1kn 21 день назад

    18 years at Amazon and didn’t fix your teeth until you turned 40? 😂

  • @아마추어트레이더
    @아마추어트레이더 24 дня назад

    At 13 yoe, still got paid 350k...

  • @HasanRifino
    @HasanRifino 3 дня назад

    👪👪👈💏❤

  • @HasanRifino
    @HasanRifino 3 дня назад

    🚘👈💏🏘💏💏👪

  • @MrTeslaX
    @MrTeslaX 8 дней назад

    Blocking this guy. Tired of him packaging the same content with different subjects. How do people like him get to the principal role at Aamzon?

  • @valsh6181
    @valsh6181 28 дней назад +1

    nerd

  • @BenardoBenitoFu
    @BenardoBenitoFu 20 дней назад +1

    Dude since you are making content as a business now, you should learn that any video you make should be about 10 minutes. This video was so long that it seemed made up. You don’t need to spend money on shitty stock footage. Give viewers real information in fewer minutes and the views will follow. Same amount of work for you either way, but you’ll look better.

    • @calicomics701
      @calicomics701 16 дней назад +2

      Sounds like decent advice.
      However, it might be better advice to just state the facts without the "you should know by now" statement because it sounds like ego is driving that comment opposed to trying to help a brother out.

  • @karthikeyanagaraju4737
    @karthikeyanagaraju4737 Месяц назад +2

    first view
    and comment

  • @Hopkins132
    @Hopkins132 Месяц назад +1

    You just got lucky, don’t act like anyone could do the same again, not even you.

  • @scrumpy615
    @scrumpy615 Месяц назад +4

    *Amazing video, you work for 4Oyrs to have $1M in your retirement, meanwhile some people are putting just $10K into trading from just few months ago and now they are multimillionaires*

    • @Phanboy
      @Phanboy Месяц назад +3

      This is possible but also a sure way to end up on the streets just as quick

  • @logicsandtrolls3616
    @logicsandtrolls3616 22 дня назад +1

    Anyone did total and could post here. Not ready to see this long video

  • @dirty-kebab
    @dirty-kebab Месяц назад +1

    Let's goooo!