Currently taking a break from my PhD, although I plan to finish it one day. Here's my salary progression as a CS researcher in Silicon Valley:
2015: $104k (worked in an R&D lab for an enterprise company)
2016: $106k (laid off at the end of the year as part of reorg)
2017: $115k + $10k bonus (short stint as a SRE at a famous company that unfortunately didn't go very well....)
2018: Consultant at a startup for $120/hr. Unfortunately this opportunity didn't last. Ended up taking a research internship.
2019: $95k (promoted to full-time researcher)
I love my current job; in fact, it's one of the best I've had. But Silicon Valley is a very expensive place, and I'm wondering if there are opportunities to do CS research in industry outside of Silicon Valley.
2015: $104k (worked in an R&D lab for an enterprise company)
2016: $106k (laid off at the end of the year as part of reorg)
2017: $115k + $10k bonus (short stint as a SRE at a famous company that unfortunately didn't go very well....)
2018: Consultant at a startup for $120/hr. Unfortunately this opportunity didn't last. Ended up taking a research internship.
2019: $95k (promoted to full-time researcher)
I love my current job; in fact, it's one of the best I've had. But Silicon Valley is a very expensive place, and I'm wondering if there are opportunities to do CS research in industry outside of Silicon Valley.