On the flip side -- remember your total compensation package. If you work a 60+ hour week, that higher salary broken down to an hourly and compared to the 8 and skate 40 hour a week job suddenly isn't so high. Also compare PTO and other benefits, especially considering "unlimited PTO" often offered by many fast paced places is usually a lie. There's often other benefits in big places that aren't directly salary, but pay off in other ways (discounts, better health care, etc.) And there's the added non-financial benefits of lower stress.

There are pretty big cons to the bigger corporate world, B2B, etc., but money isn't as big of a difference as it first appears.

Hey, if you really want to compare along that line, then Salaries should be divided by 24hrs. If you get a job working 1hr a week, making $500/hr. You can argue that you're making more money than most of us, but I'll argue that most of us will be living more comfortable and be happier than you even if we are working for 60-70hrs a week.

At the of the day, it's about being able to meet your needs, being able to save so you don't worry much about the future, enjoying your work and also finding time to enjoy life outside of work. If you're able to do this, it doesn't matter if you work 40 or 60hrs.

IMO, Optimize for TC and Happiness. If you can find joy in your work, it won't matter. It's easier to enjoy 80hrs of work that you love than suffer through 40hrs of work you hate.

Not necessarily. Some bigco's, esp in finance, can provide very good worklife balance together with good pay. Maybe not top of the market google pay but nowhere near the levels you mention.