How do you people make so much in your 20s?

Remote US based startups pay a lot :)

It’s definitely possible, freelancing, consultant, multiple companies. It’ll be hard works and long hours and weekends as well, but should pay at least 50L. take for example 25L in a job as salary. Freelancing projects, you can easily get 1-1.5L/month. So that becomes another 25L. And then moreover you can be a consultant for another company, that should pay 10-15L. grind like this for 8-10 years, now you have enough money to retire :)

Selection Bias

Same dude, same! Makes me question my life

Quant trading funds pay similar amounts to freshers.

Sometimes I feel these guys add their esops and tell their salaries

Here is my two cent advise on how to overcome this.

1. Keep reading more technologies
2. Apply for all software jobs
3. Take up anything that is fine with you and offers you a technical role, even if it means same or lesser salary compared to your present salary
4. Ensure you build solid experience of a year or 1.5 yrs and then switch. This time you can garner a better salary.

Word is advise dont get carried away by others salary. It won't help you much

Factor 1: 95% of such people are from tier 1-2 colleges Factor 2: mostly from CS branches

Inki salary dekh k toh Sundar Pichai bhi sochta hoga SDE hi ban jaun

While most people who start making very good money early on mostly come from top tier colleges and work in MAANG, that's not the case with all. There are many brilliant people who come from average colleges working in start-ups or other big companies and earn a lot, too.