Ask HN: Is it possible to make FAANG salaries without working there?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

High-end software salaries comparable to FAANG do exist elsewhere, but they’re typically found in narrow niches: AI/ML unicorns, HFT and hedge funds, certain fintech or infrastructure vendors, elite consulting, and occasionally extremely successful solo businesses or “overemployed” remote workers holding multiple jobs. Commenters stress that these roles are rare, often high-risk or high-stress, and frequently depend on specialized skills, strong networks, or accepting illiquid equity instead of cash. Many argue that for most engineers, mid–six-figure compensation at non-FAANG companies plus better work–life balance, benefits, or geographic arbitrage is a more realistic and often preferable target.

Where FAANG-level pay shows up outside FAANG

  • Multiple comments say “yes”: AI/ML unicorns (OpenAI, Anthropic, others), some crypto roles (including bug bounty hunters), HFT/quant and certain hedge funds, niche high‑performance computing vendors for finance, some fintech and cloud/startup firms, and FAANG-adjacent big tech (e.g., Uber, Block) can match or exceed FAANG total comp at senior levels.
  • A few concrete anecdotes: staff/principal roles at non‑FAANG/public tech or late‑stage startups offering ~$450–650k TC; HFT in Switzerland at ~$450k; consultants and sales/presales roles with uncapped commissions.

Equity, RSUs, and risk

  • FAANG comp heavily relies on RSUs in liquid public stock; seen as much more “cash‑like” than startup options.
  • Startups can offer $1M+ in options on paper, but commenters stress high risk, late valuations, and frequent dilution.
  • Hedge funds and some finance roles pay mostly in cash and bonuses, sometimes with mandatory deferral into the firm’s fund (analogous to vesting).

Levels and compensation reality

  • Thread stresses that $1M+/yr comp is mostly for very senior levels (e.g., Meta E6+, Google L6+); most engineers top out around $200–400k TC.
  • Disagreement over salary sites like levels.fyi: some say “very wrong,” others say “highly accurate” for certain ladders but note differences between grant vs. realized value.

Geography and sector differences

  • US big tech pays far more than most of Europe, UK, or Canada; UK/Ireland/Belgium pay relatively well for Europe but still below US FAANG.
  • Civil service and defense/cleared roles in the US top out around ~$200k plus strong pensions/benefits.
  • Legacy tech niches (COBOL, MUMPS, mainframes, airline/healthcare/banking systems) sometimes support a few extremely well‑paid experts, but most such jobs pay modestly.

Alternative strategies: overemployment, consulting, business ownership

  • Some report making FAANG‑like income by holding 2–3 fully remote $100–150k jobs (“overemployment”), but note burnout and risk.
  • High‑end consultants/contractors, especially in niche or cost‑plus environments, can bill into FAANG territory.
  • Several argue that owning a successful business or SaaS can far exceed FAANG pay; many others counter that most small businesses fail or earn less than a solid big‑tech job.

Beyond money: tradeoffs, values, and ethics

  • Many emphasize work‑life balance, health insurance (especially in the US), PTO, job stability, and supportive culture as decisive, sometimes worth 20–30% less pay.
  • Stories highlight “unsexy” but humane employers (e.g., credit union software) and European-style protections.
  • Some warn that the highest pay is often in ethically gray areas (gambling, porn, predatory finance/crypto); others note reputational risks when leaving such sectors.

Meta: skepticism and opacity

  • Multiple commenters doubt unverifiable “I made millions” claims and note that the rarest, best‑paid roles are often never publicly posted.
  • General consensus: FAANG‑level (or better) comp outside FAANG exists, but is rare, highly selective, often risky, and usually tied to seniority, specialization, or entrepreneurship.