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Not really, that is just a lower bound. Companies are incentivized to pay the least amount possible for labour regardless of productivity, so long as it profitable. If a company pays somebody 100k a year, it means that (1) the value produced by this person is larger than 100k and (2) the company is confident that they can find somebody else to do the job for 100k in case the worker asks for a raise.

> the company is confident that they can find somebody else to do the job for 100k in case the worker asks for a raise.

More like, the company is willing to pay more but won't do so until the worker asks for a raise, in my personal experience.

Worth way more. In theory if you’re writing product software, you helped build a money generation machine for the company that can run forever.

That's a big theory, there is plenty of waste in product companies and a small portion of the developer effort is easily responsible for the majority of revenue.

If you're talking web agencies or subcontractors, that make more sense, as the client is paying for the waste, regardless.

*worth more than $100,000