How Much I Make As A Principal Engineer At Amazon (EXACT Amount)

[@jm-alan]

Standing ovation for actually answering the "How much do you make?" question in the first 60 seconds of the video rather than clickbaiting us into a 20-minute video where you dance around the subject before saying "you can probably figure it out" Obviously, you're under no obligation to disclose this information at all, but the fact that you did, so plainly and matter-of-factly, is definitely appreciated.

[@therealdrag0]

OTOH: He lead with a very large number implying it was "his" and only later does it turn out this is his combined house-hold income including his spouse's income and a large amount (~1/3 total!!) form crypto investments not from his Amzn job at all. I'm guessing most people are like me in anticipating his Amzn wage, which is about half of the total income baited at the beginning.

[@jm-alan]

@@therealdrag0 That's completely valid. He also makes it pretty clear that, relative to their perspectives and values, his and his wife's incomes may as well be considered together, as they make their major financial decisions together and functionally operate as a unit. I, personally, was sufficiently satisfied with the initial 60 seconds of the video, as I'm also an SDE at AWS and know that principal engineer base salary doesn't climb much above what I make now, and know how $AMZN has been performing of late.

[@tenzinlee6393]

He answered the question at 8:40.

[@bobby9568]

Lol title should be: How I MADE

[@NathanHedglin]

This.

[@leetcoderafeeq2641]

This isn't upsetting, this is inspirational!

[@miguelito0o]

These days, there's too many overgrown children that can't withstand seeing someone is doing better than them. I blame poor parenting when raising those children.

[@akunalana6370]

Comparison is the thief of joy like he said in the beginning of the video

[@Johnydrumbola]

@@miguelito0o You can all be hypocrite and pretend not to be upset of the reality that the proposition that all men are created equal is untrue. Some men are just born with talent and some are not. Of course it upsets me that for over 20 years now I've worked mostly 6 days a week and I can't even afford to own a house and cannot even replace my 15 years old car while the people I serve makes hundreds of thousands a year. But that is a reality of life. We are born with muscles and lesser brains unlike these engineers etc.

[@MichaelRicksAherne]

This is a vulnerable video, despite the large income. It takes a great deal of courage to put all the details out there, knowing that you'll get some oddball reactions to it. I appreciate the honesty and find it both incredibly helpful and inspiring in its own right. Thank you so much.

[@eddiejhong]

I am both sad that your content and guidance didn’t exist when I was starting out in tech and elated that an entire generation of engineers will benefit from your wisdom. A lot of the advice you share here were things I learned the long and hard way. This is the way.

[@calicruiser559]

your bittersweet and sincere feelings about this information encourage me to follow it even more so. i’m grateful to have come across this video and its comments. this is the way

[@Neonb88]

I loved how you mentioned values. This is the top reason I love to watch you: the kindness, generosity, and politeness in addition to all your experiences and knowledge are the top reason I watch you over similar KZbinrs Stay awesome, Steve!

[@linonator]

It’s sad that you have to mention people having resentment toward you… You earned your pay. And im sure you’ve gone through a lot of stress to get to this point. Keep up the great posts! You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever realize

[@aperture0]

Those people are just jealous.

[@MakerModder]

It really is sad but it happens. Money does not define you and its heart breaking when someone thinks that of you.

[@new_skyspirit]

Dude! Thanks for making this video. Started watching your channel this year and I'm very impressed with your steady progress. And I understand how this might be a sensitive topic for you , but just know that this gives new engineers like us a really good perspective on the career path.... ❤️ from Nigeria

[@TheFangGirl]

I'm not an engineer, but it feels like i'm talking to my previous manager who was a great mentor and advocate for his team. Glad to have stumbled on this channel! this is inspirational

[@JasonGoodison]

Love the transparency! Thanks for sharing, Steve!

[@cnid]

I love your content. I am just starting my Software Engineering journey and your videos have been invaluable in setting reasonable expectations for when I join the work force in a couple years. If the industry is filled with people like you, then I am excited for when I am part of it.

[@jml9550]

I make about $250k, just hit 51. Family of 4. My home and 3 rentals are all paid off in the SF Bay Area. Having a partner with the same family value and financial goal are most important parts of wealth buying. You can make million and if the partner spends more than intake, it means nothing. We always spend within our budget and our teenagers know they are entitled to nothing.

[@codelinx]

Honestly we need more of this. People need to share this info that companies weaponize against workers and employees

[@BentleyPascoe]

I'm a QAE over at Big A who started 6 months ago, I hope I get to have a journey similar to yours - so far I love the people I work with and the culture and hope years from now to still be as content in my job as you seem to be - cheers!

[@eugenezh9524]

Was this a career switch for you, or were in QA before at a different company?

[@BentleyPascoe]

@@eugenezh9524 I've been in the software/hardware test industry for over a decade. Mostly contract.

[@eugenezh9524]

@@BentleyPascoe Great, thank you for replying

[@tuams]

What a good video! Thank you for being so transparent. It shouldn't be a taboo to talk about money. You also show what a somewhat realistic view of "success" can mean and how wealth fluctuates. Look forward to the next years update! Keep sharing your knowledge, it is very helpful.

[@Fastotec9]

As someone who is just breaking into the engineering field, I’m going to remember your videos for the rest of my career. Much appreciated!

[@christopherbui7315]

My favorite part of the video is seeing how KZbin actually costs you immense time and money. Thus proving you're doing it for the community and for younger devs looking to learn and grow. Thank you !

[@sergiobasilico1891]

That's quite a bold move to disclose your earnings, and I appreciate that! Thank you for a well-explained example of the income of the software engineer in the US!

[@gavmastatube]

Crushing it! Thanks for being so transparent and willing to help everyone

[@1attempting2bkind52]

You rock ! Thank you for this. I'm a bit worried because I have seen KZbinrs at big tech companies either lose their job because of vlogging, or say that their vlogging was a liability at work. So, take care please, okay? This is really interesting and informative. Your content is very much appreciated. Wishing you the best.

[@rhuynh]

This is refreshingly transparent and real and really well laid out. You cover all the bases including the soft and hard considerations. I really appreciate you making this video and wish continued success on KZbin as it seems a passion project for you.

[@nerd_alert927]

I am an Accountant (love doing Taxes, glad I understood your finance terms) and am studying cs now. I find coding super fascinating and hope to become a Financial Software Engineer in the next few years.

[@Teardropper-nm3ht]

I'm impressed by your approach, and that you chose an engineer for a life partner. Your advice resonates deeply with me, thank you.

[@vcv6560]

Speaking of your wife: "We are aligned on values." That was one of my takeaways from Millionaire Next Door. Congratulations on the paired success and thank you for your candor.

[@nicholyse]

I don’t even know how I got here… I’m not remotely interested in this field but I found your video quite fascinating. Very analytical and I appreciate the transparency. Best of luck in the future to you and your family!

[@nichen6966]

Very well spoken and articulated. And really do appreciate your openness and candidness in opening so much , but valuable in giving a perspective to anyone in understanding the complex life we all live trying to succeed.. where succeeding the definition of which is a current point of destination where we want to be but also understand where we need to go beyond , after each stop. Thank you so very much for this perspective.

[@iTzDritte]

5:33 “Crypto gains usually come from selling and not from HODLing.” That’s not called investing, that’s called speculating. Thanks for the transparency though. We work at similar companies and have similar household incomes, so it’s helpful to have a peer to compare to on specifics. Great content as always!

[@harveylin3548]

The entire scheme is a modern day equivalent of snake oil trading for the rich. I have joy watching the crypto market collapse, they are basically the same as the printers behind the fed, once the fed stops printing money, it just goes kaboo.

[@Hi_Chew]

Two made 750K/yr W2s, with one is Principal, the income is considered low in 2021. But there is no state income tax which is a huge plus. In California, Principal in big tech alone will make that much but there is very limited career growth and the workplace culture is boring. If worked in the right pre-IPO startup for 4 years, that number will be easily doubled upon IPO. But the tax rate will be 52%. 2010 - 2021 were the great run ups and the next few years will be really bad. Go fishing and join a new startup wait for the next run up.

[@Spacer-l3j]

Now imagine what companies really makes if they can pay devs that much

[@rkumd1]

Best channel ever. The contents are honest and of highest quality and value for time. Respect sir!!

[@marietweedy2879]

Steve, it is great to see you on KZbin. We were CFWS peeps. Your video came up in the algorithm and it’s awesome! Really great content and video. I am in the wrong sector, government work doesn’t pay as well but it’s enough to be able to do most of what you suggest. Congratulations! You got a new subscriber.

[@Loorp]

Sound advice all around. Great to hear positive and productive perspective vs all the toxicity elsewhere on the internet.

[@candhace2989]

I am inspired Mr. Overachieving cousin. Thank you for sharing!

[@jayjones7783]

Thanks for sharing the video. You understated the geographic influence on wage income, especially for big tech roles. Outside the US those numbers are largely unheard of, and in the US wage income in places like silicon Valley and New York can be significantly higher.

[@MaxiTaxi1980]

Thank you for the mature, rational and open video on what is a sensitive topic in our society. I work in another professional discipline (not tech) but your approach to long-term wealth building resonates with my approach in almost every way. And indeed, it's very tempting to get caught up in the hedonistic treadmill... but a bottle of Yamazaki 12 can count as an occasional indulgence 😊. Keep up the great channel!

[@rajatizm]

Appreciate the honesty. Video is to the point, not just a clickbait. Thanks for sharing the info!

[@anirudhasengupta87]

Takes some balls to declare all your financials. Kudos.

[@dlsodadl]

I thought a principal at Amazon was making 1 M at first which seemed pretty good. But I guess the 35% ish of it is actually from investment. I do believe 1M passive income is better than 1M W2 income. Kudos to you that your investment income is so high. My wife (lawyer) and I (engineer) together make about 600k-700k range but I have been thinking a lot about money. Money is so fake (or it's as real as bitcoin) and I wholeheartedly agree that what should be valued is a good sense of humor and what are you creating/contributing to the society. Solving important problem in our society as engineers seems far more important than just being able to afford more and rarer things (which I am not saying I am not enjoying, but chasing these things alone seem to lead to depression). Thank you so much for your informative and vulnerable video. It must've taken you a huge courage to produce this video.

[@dlsodadl]

Also... what the heck, why is your base salary so low? Does Amazon just not increase base salary as much as RSU?

[@atticusrussell1225]

Not all the way through the video yet but bravo on being so transparent. Extremely useful information

[@kevinkiripeterson1316]

KZbin kept saying I needed to watch this video but felt it may be clickbait. Wow, was I wrong. Thank you for the open honesty and glad to see you are pursuing your passions in life.

[@BAHIACARS]

many people pray to god to get a mentor like you some day! think about it, thank you

[@itstayayg193]

What a clear, honest and well put together video. Income is so personal yet so fresh and free once you share with the community. Thanks for the insight. It was a good takeaway.

[@paul.stroup]

Thanks for sharing. It is odd how this is something that is seen as unsharable. Most people rely on glassdoor or another sites to get the info. The break was great and insightful.

[@djamburere]

This is public service... For the entire world! Thanks!

[@douglas12219]

Aside from your videos being great sources of advice, I’m always impressed how well you present your ideas. You’re very concise yet get your point across. I’m writing my first one pager for Amazon right now, and your communication style is certainly something I try to channel in my writing.

[@dex1530]

Great video. Hearing the conviction in how you view life and go about it really inspires me to think of it in that way. I just turned 28, getting married in less than 100 days. This year has been life changing. My income has tripled this year, bought some nice things and enjoying it. But, coming to the realization that I need to be smarter going forward and invest in the long game.

[@NoahElRhandour]

thank you so much for your openness about salary and income. i find it weird that we dont talk a lot about that even tho its so important. thank you :)

[@thepeerdependency]

You said you're looking for a mentee. Man, I've gained so much from your videos. I'm an SDE-2 at AWS and have been looking for someone more experienced that can impart knowledge on financial management and career development. I'd love to chat! Anyway, incredibly helpful video as always. Thank you

[@Gilamang]

Really impressed by the transparency. Seems very credible.

[@iamguyfawkes1474]

Amazing video, instantly liked. Dont see people being so transparent about their earnings

[@Rizhiy13]

Regarding hedonistic treadmill: IMHO you should increase your expenses in line with your passive income, which is generally 4% of total value for investments. That way you can be pretty sure that you will be able to maintain it for the rest of your life.

[@bambitsunami4165]

You’re the best Meta. Your content is absolute gold, thank you for what you do!!

[@crafter202]

This is one of the best ever videos I have seen in youtube about income, I doubt there is any video as such at all . Thanks for making this awesome content.

[@jetizon]

My world is design and it's great understanding the mindset of an engineer through your channel. Thanks for your content + keep creating 👏

[@konga8165]

You can tell this dude is genuine. I love it! 🙌

[@am_0x2a]

Thank you for this video! I agree that pay transparency is important. I really appreciate your humility and honesty in your videos. Thanks for not being like most KZbinrs in your topic area.

[@TheCreatorsAttorney]

First!!! Congratulations on this amazing video and thank you for your transparency and helping those younger in your industry. May this help push you to 100K!

[@skavihekkora5039]

I'd add a disclaimer your are NOT giving financial advice, to avoid potentially being sued. Seen that done on other financial channels, so probably a smart thing to do.

[@odhran3215]

I can’t stop recommending your channel to my mates and colleagues! This was really insightful as always, thanks Steve!

[@2aa22a]

Hats off! You showed guts to do it! It is so rare!

[@taylorg2783]

Great vid! Straight to the point to answer the title and then gave a deep dive for those wanting to know more.

[@roland_lopez]

This is the best information that I had in 7 years of web development.

[@doug.woodrow]

This is awesome. Thanks for breaking this down, really helps me understand my trajectory in my career. I was wondering if you could do a video on RSUs, Options, and the strategies folks have, both pre and post-IPO? That's something I'm trying to understand as I'm working for a company with option grants, but I'm not 100% sure about the strategies as my options start to vest! This would be hugely insightful and something I don't see much helpful content on KZbin from a software engineer perspective.

[@KevinNaughtonJr]

"i'm not defined by my job or how much i make and neither are you", great quote. As always awesome video thanks Steve!

[@CommandantNOVA]

Kevin your videos are so good but your LinkedIn content is so bad. I wish you would do more comprehensive or less popular takes

[@NathanHedglin]

Thanks for being direct open and honest.

[@RahulPandeyrkp]

Thank you for sharing!! Also, Bay Area >> Seattle IMO 😇

[@ALifeEngineered]

Hard disagree :)

[@CristianHeredia0]

Thanks for the transparency, as a software engineer it’s nice to hear what’s realistic.

[@dragonmaster909]

Bro, really brave of you to put your salary info out there. Thanks!

[@therayvoice]

Thanks you for cresting these videos. It is very rare to get some honest content.

[@vvolfbelorven7084]

Love it bro! Thank you! I think we need more of this: For those in better situations to share their knowledge, attitude, ethics, and culture with the numbers to back them up so that the rest of us can be motivated and hopefully convinced to how we could adopt those values, principles, and elements, and hopefully trace a path forward. Evidently, your subscribers (myself included) follow your videos because we value your insights and your communication style. Keep it up! You are the type of influencer I want in my life and in my community. I have a question. If one has an idea for a startup, where should one begin?

[@jsephy]

that was so well articulated, hope to be able to talk and get my points across in such a concise fashion in the future

[@bronsonschnitzel7493]

“Comparison is the thief of joy”. Great wisdom.

[@TF242]

Great video and sound advice, especially around investing. Long term is investing, short term is trading. Cheers!

[@Mohitkm]

Thank you so much for your honesty. I really appreciate the insights. I’m also an SDE at the same company in the same location so I can relate to what you’re saying. Great video!

[@bjourdan]

Smart, transparent, and humble. Your viewers really appreciate you!

[@beamthelaser]

Details matter. Heart felt thank you for sharing your approach and advice!

[@Heartadia]

He makes alot of money, but how he got there also took alot of sweat, tears and hard work. Don't be envious of his wealth, learn from him.

[@hockysa]

this is a great video. thank you for the courage for sharing. talking about money being taboo in our society only works against the vast majority of us only to serve big corporations in keeping individuals in the dark.

[@muizzy]

Great video, as usual; and thanks for sharing! Quick piece of technical feedback: I found the frequent slow-zoom and quick flash back to full view fairly distracting.

[@rafaelmarmitt]

This is really motivating me to continue studying english and focusing on my internacional carrier. Thank you man!

[@johnboikov1360]

We need more content like this on this platform... and social media in general

[@MrMexc]

hedonistic treadmill!! thats amazing i was always wondering if this concept had a label to it, glad to see it does

[@thefosplus]

I do see those fancy whiskeys behind you, so I'm glad you're getting to enjoy some of it. Great advice throughout the video, especially in the intro and talking about self-worth and what you value.

[@marred2277]

1. Thanks for sharing this. I imagine this is a bit risky if your employer gets wind of it, but one would hope they can't retaliate on you about it. For me, it's not something to be jealous or resentful of, it's something to shoot for. and 2. The zooms seem to be a bit smoother in this vid than they have been, thank you. Tbh, they're still a bit much imo, but much less jumpy than before, so much easier to tolerate. Cheers.

[@hunorportik5618]

Appreciate the transparency, really! Helps a lot IMHO for not-that senior engineers like me what to expect moving forward, and knowing this is doable, is smth that we are lacking here in EU, sadly... Regarding the former employees of yours, yeah, that's the only thing I've heard of AMZ, so it was kinda shocking to me there is another end of it, but hey, it's a multi. Formerly I was employed by a multi which had several different methods to manage people, so I can image everybody is right, just depends, again.

[@AdamaLorna]

I really enjoyed this video. Your transparency is really refreshing and useful 😊

[@fosil100]

Thank you for being open about this. Really helps guide others negotiate better when people are willing to be open about what they make.

[@MakerModder]

Pay scale is where its at. You got to be armed, those recruiters are crafty. Last one was really good at tickling out what they shouldn't know.

[@KhelanBhatt]

Thanks for the courage and transparency! Congratulations on your success - not just financially/career-wise but at living a fulfilling life. 🙏

[@MoneyManBluZero]

Video quality on this channel is always outstanding

[@muzzykharal]

I subbed just cuz you told us the juice in the first minute! No bs!

[@neilaj1987]

Truly great video. Only channel that I started supporting on Patreon. You do keep providing so much value. 🍻

[@collin5119]

First of your videos that I have come across, loved the content and your style/delivery is excellent! Looking forward to you eclipsing the “1 million mark” for subscribers in the future.

[@sonydominates]

Thanks a lot for taking the courage to share this! It's honestly an inspiration for me as someone early in my career. Thanks for breaking things down and being open and transparent about everything. I aspire to be in a similar position someday

[@AnotherBrownKid]

For anyone looking for the amount: $1,030,401

[@kwazim0l0]

Great video man. I've quickly gone from watching a few videos to subscribing to clicking the notification bells. The amount of value that your videos bring to me as an engineer in the sector is crazy, especially considering that you're under no obligation to provie any of it. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas and I'm looking forward too future videos!

[@mikebranc]

Thanks for sharing! Would love to see a video on your career progression

[@jb-golf007]

wow. awesome video! thanks for the candidness and sharing. very helpful and educational for someone like me looking to get some perspective and ideas.

[@captain_v7483]

This one was really great. Very down to earth. Appreciate the insight and advice.

[@SmartMoneyCookie]

Showing my support! Thank you for your content!

[@foxh8er]

The L7 total compensation is shockingly low to me. I would have expected 700k - at my company it's around $600k for staff.

[@swank8508]

amazon did lose nearly half its value, had it flatlined he would have probably made like 800k or something

[@0m13]

Amazon is not renowned for being the top payer among the FAANG++

[@foxh8er]

@@0m13 Are you saying Amazon engineers are inferior?

[@0m13]

@@foxh8er That depends.. Do you judge the quality of people by how much they earn? I certainly don't.

[@foxh8er]

@@0m13 Most people do judge people like that.

[@metalslamalchimist]

Thanks for the quality and sincerity! It's such an amazing and inspirational video. It's not about the amount or about bragging, but rather about quality, improvements and balanced strategies in life. As always, top quality content! 🙏

[@kennyly23]

omg subscribed cause the intro! much love to you