This.

I think he and his wife were in the $150k-$200k area for at least 3-4 years before "retiring."

But, even so, if you add in $1500/month for mortgage (which will pay a pretty big loan), your in the $45k/year range, which is quite a bit more but not an obscene amount, but is a good salary (considering it must be after taxes).

LS

Just to back this up more (sorry), you can actually read about how the semiconductor industry works.

They share a certain amount of information with reports, generated by input from a large number of companies, which supply resources through assignees to this organization.

What is this organization?

ITRS - International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors

http://www.itrs.net/

You can read the latest report (no NDA required!): http://www.itrs.net/Links/2008ITRS/Home2008.htm

More specifically, the 2008 Update Overview: http://www.itrs.net/Links/2008ITRS/Update/2008_Update.pdf

The reports are reworked from the ground up, every other year (odd years), then just a relatively minor refresh on the even years.

So, with just a little time, you can actually read the roadmap used (more or less) by all silicon semiconductor companies (IDMs, Fabs, you name it).

L. Scrub