> For some of us work-life balance, interesting work, meaning and other non-monetary factors are worth considering and are very, very important.

I thought the same thing until a senior engineering role paid me >500k/year. I realized then how hilariously ripped off I was getting prior to this job (lured by "free" lunches, coffee, massages, &c). I could make my own meaning and exciting life outside of work with what essentially amounts to several combined disposable salaries. These companies extol benefits because they're tax-deductible and saves them money, not because they are meaningful to individual employees. I can appreciate their business dilemma because high paid employees are more difficult to retain, but that should be encouraged and celebrated by us laborers.

That's an outlier situation so not very useful as a yardstick. But kudos if it worked for you.