Programmers should plan for lower pay (2019)
Nah, sorry.<p>Like it or not, virtually every aspect of life now is dependent on software.  A CEO without developers is nothing.  A manager without developers is nothing.<p>In fact, I would argue that we are paid comparatively more than other careers because to be successful in our work we must take the confused requests or requirements we are given and make sense of them, make them fit into the actual business need, and then execute on that improved understanding.<p>Some might point at recent articles about developers who do little and get paid a lot, but that is not as much an argument against paying developers well as it is evidence that most management is poor.  Bad or underperforming developers would not have jobs if management had adequate supervisory and leadership skills.<p>Regarding lawyers (TFA), one does not need to go to an Ivy League school and land in a top firm to make bank.  There are many small firms doing big business.  One must just do reasonably well and get lucky with connections along the way.  Of course hard work is required, but the same is true of many software developers.  The difference is, there&#x27;s rarely a path to becoming a partner or owner of the firm if you&#x27;re a developer; but there often is if you are an attorney.  I think given what I know now, I might trade with my good friend who makes 8 figures per year doing &quot;boring&quot; (reliable, methodical, and predictable) contract law.