I've noticed this as well. Folks from less elite schools are less likely to know how much their skills are worth as well.
Lots of people I've talked to at my school don't believe software engineers can make $160k-$200k TC out of undergrad.
Lots of people I've talked to at my school don't believe software engineers can make $160k-$200k TC out of undergrad.
It's the same as buying anything brand name, you're paying for the (presumed) higher probability of higher quality or reduced chance of failure.
Transparency of salaries would be a boon to the general public, but we have such a huge social stigma against discussing pay, that employers can take advantage of this, however that's not the employer's fault.