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'$38K in London vs $222K in Seattle': Techie-turned-founder highlights UK-US tech salary gap
The founder shared his personal journey from turning down a job offer in the UK to landing a significantly higher-paying role in the US.
A techie-turned-founder has sparked discussion online after highlighting the stark salary gap between the UK and the US tech industries, claiming that engineers can earn up to five times more for the same work by simply changing geography.
In an Instagram post, Junead Khan, founder of personal finance app Treasury, shared his personal journey from turning down a job offer in the UK to landing a significantly higher-paying role in the US. He said he had interned at JPMorgan in London during university and received a full-time offer of around $38,000 per year. However, he said that he chose not to accept the offer. “In the UK, $38K for a new grad in tech is above average. I turned it down,” Khan said.
Instead, the techie said that he waited a year and later joined Microsoft in Seattle with a compensation package that included a $129,000 base salary, $150,000 in stock over 4 years, and a $50,000 signing bonus, taking his first-year total compensation to $222,000. “Same degree. Same graduation year. $184K gap,” he wrote, using his own experience to explain the disparity.
Khan further said that the difference is not due to skill or job complexity but market dynamics. “American tech companies pay 3–5x more for the same work. It’s not because the work is harder. It’s not because the engineers are better. It’s because the market is different,” he said.
He argued that geography is one of the most overlooked factors influencing salaries in tech. “The UK has brilliant engineers earning a fraction of what they’d make in the US. Geography is the most underrated salary lever in tech,” he wrote, adding, “If you’re a software engineer in the UK and you haven’t at least explored US opportunities — you’re leaving life-changing money on the table.”
(Also Read: Entrepreneur explains Bengaluru salary gap, says ‘ ₹70 LPA feels common, but it’s not reality’)
Social media reactions
The post quickly gained traction online, drawing mixed reactions from users.
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “The downside in the US is that the immigration rules change every minute plus no healthcare. Despite this I agree with you that salaries should be higher in the US.”
“UK salaries are still stuck at 2010s levels despite rising inflation and taxes, leaving people poorer each year, while the government still treats £100k as a high income. That’s why many people in UK voluntarily choose to live on freebies,” commented another.
“As an American who lived in the UK I genuinely do not get how people survive on those salaries!!!” wrote a third user.
“United Kingdom is over it’s a complete and utter shit ho*le and the health care is absolutely horrific unless you can afford a private doctor,” commented another.
“My US colleagues make double what I do but are constantly complaining about being broke. The US is a sinkhole,” said one user.
