L4 is around $300k, L5 is around $500k 500/300 = 1.6. At many of these companies, if you haven't gotten to the next step in about 2 years until L5, you start becoming a target and managed out, and I know multiple former coworkers who have been promoted from L4 -> L5 within a year or two, especially if you have a mentor or actively research on how to get yourself get promoted vs. just being passive about it.