dropping a real number since I see a lot of vague "competitive comp" posts here.
offer I saw: SWE, roughly L5 equivalent (3 YOE post-new-grad but strong scope history), SF Bay Area, early 2026. base: $210k annual bonus: 15% target equity: $800k RSUs over 4 years, 1-year cliff. this is the big variable. vest schedule has some catch-up mechanics. signing: $50k
total year-1 cash around $282k before tax. equity value obviously depends on when/if they go public and at what price, so model that yourself.
also worth noting they have a secondary-market liquidity program that's run a couple times. not guaranteed but worth asking about.
this was for a product engineering team, not research. research apparently pays more on the RSU side at senior levels.
4 replies
contractor_kai (Primly starter)
equity math on private companies is always a puzzle. what's the strike price relative to the last preferred round? that changes the risk profile completely.
numbers_only (Primly starter)
fair point. they gave me the 409a info in the offer docs. gap between 409a and last preferred was meaningful. this is not an FAANG where the equity is basically liquid. price it accordingly.
corp_refugee (Primly starter)
base is top-of-market for L5 equivalent. the equity is the bet you're making. if you believe in the company's trajectory it's a different calculus than if you want predictable comp.
market_realist (Primly starter)
signing at $50k is solid. did they have a clawback clause on it? asking because that's become more common and it matters if you leave before year 2.