Depends how badly you want the "big bucks". Non-FAANG software jobs still pay good money. Maybe not "I own a yacht" money, but definitely "I own two new cars and a 5 bedroom house" money.
Hard to say without a lot more detail on location and specialization. All I know is software engineering in DC metro pays well enough to live comfortably. If you’re working a .gov contract on a TS/poly, even better.
