Is leaving America the new American Dream?
Spend a few minutes on the AmerExit subreddit, and you might start to think so. The community is booming, drawing 176,000 visitors and more than 3,000 new contributions each week — all centered on one shared obsession: leaving America as soon as possible.
The group’s description says it all: “Sick of living in the United States? Want to leave America for a better life? This subreddit is devoted to thoughts and discussion about emigration from the U.S., how and why other countries are better, how you can leave, and expat/immigrant life once you’ve left.”
Scrolling through the AmerExit posts reveals collective urgency. Members share their “escape plans” and ask for feedback:
“Chances of actually being able to escape”
“I don’t know if I can escape”
“U.S. Software Engineer looking for guidance for my escape plan”
“Product Manager here. Looking to escape”
“I am researching every single way to leave America, tips appreciated”
It’s a strange paradox: these people are not looking to escape a warzone or an economically ruined country, but the world’s most powerful nation. Yet the reasons they cite are sobering. Some blame the political climate; others, particularly from minority groups, describe frustration with prejudice and systemic inequality. One Redditor wrote a long list of reasons to leave: “This particular country is the only developed country without universal healthcare and with high levels of medical debt, […] the only developed country without guaranteed paid time off, sick leave, and maternity/paternity leave, […] the only developed nation with regularly recurring mass shootings — on average 10 a week in 2022.” (In fact, the final average of that year was actually higher: 13 mass shootings/week, or 695 in total.)
The discontent goes beyond politics. Many describe the American work culture as toxic, even traumatic. One digital marketer wrote, “One former boss was so bad I developed CPTSD [Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] from their abuse.”
Some speculate about how much time they have left to leave before it becomes “too late.” Others wrestle with a different anxiety: that once abroad, their American identity will expose them to prejudice or even resentment for the consequences of their country’s policies.
Why Americans leave — a survey
A 2024 survey of 116,363 Americans who want to leave the U.S. reveals that the most frequent reason for moving abroad is not political; rather, it’s the pursuit of adventure and personal growth, as indicated by 61% of the respondents. Still, the political reasons abound, with the second most frequent reason being the perception that America is too conservative, cited by 56% of those surveyed. This is closely followed by the political division in the country, which ranks third at 53%.
Tied for fourth place are the search for greater freedom and the desire to avoid the threat of gun violence, both of which were mentioned by 48% of respondents.
Gallup recently reported that about one in five Americans say they would like to leave the U.S. and move permanently to another country if they could. Notably, the survey found a record share of younger women expressing this desire: 40% of women aged 15 to 44 say they would like to leave the U.S. for good. Gallup suggests that a growing loss of faith in America’s institutions may be a contributing factor among younger women.
IT workers and the challenges they face when migrating
A significant share of Redditors in the AmerExit community dream of starting over in a European country. French philosopher Bruno Latour once wrote that “A European is anyone who wants to be one,” an idea that resonates with those seeking to build a new life in Europe. However, the chances of making that dream a reality vary widely.
The members of AmerExit come from different backgrounds and education levels. Among all these people plotting their “escape plans,” tech workers stand out, as they’re among the most capable of actually acting on their desire to leave. This is because, unlike many other professionals who encounter regulatory or market obstacles when moving abroad, those in tech benefit from skills that transcend borders — coding languages and digital systems operate the same everywhere.
Nevertheless, many tech workers in the community share concerns about making such a move. After all, the tech industry in the U.S. is significantly larger and more prosperous than in Europe. As of November 2025, the United States is home to eight of the ten largest technology companies in the world by market capitalization and six of the top ten by earnings — by contrast, no European company ranks in the top ten on either metric. The country continues to lead in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and high-performance computing.
A common worry raised by Redditors is the potential pay cut involved. The average base salary in the U.S. for a software engineer is USD 126,928 per year (€110,134) — in San Francisco, it gets to USD 176,412 per year (€153,087). For comparison, in Germany, the largest economy in the European Union, software engineers earn an average of €94,322 per year.
In Southern Europe, a popular destination among American immigrants, the salaries are even lower: for example, the average pay for software engineers is €64,347 per year in Spain, and €50,847 per year in Portugal. That’s why many Americans looking to move to Southern Europe intend to work remotely for companies based in higher-income countries in Northern and Central Europe.
There are other sources of anxiety. For example, there is a group of American IT workers who, despite their experience, worry about lacking a degree, and fear that European employers may be stricter about formal education. Meanwhile, those who do hold degrees often carry the heavy burden of tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt — a weight that can make accepting a European pay cut much harder.
“A lot of U.S. highly skilled workers are graduating with maybe six figures of debt at this point,” says Arielle Tucker, a Certified Financial Planner® and Enrolled Agent — through her firm, Connected Financial Planning, she helps Americans manage the financial realities of moving abroad. “I think it’s a really important consideration, and it depends on how your loan is structured in the U.S. Are they based on repayment of your income? And so, again, maybe you’d have a lower payment if your earnings are lower, but you’re still going to be stuck paying those loans back. They don’t just go away. You can’t declare bankruptcy anymore and get rid of your student debt, and so you really have to weigh that carefully as a financial decision.”
There are also those who worry about the possibility of encountering racism, particularly outside major cities and in communities that remain largely homogeneous. One software engineer, married to a Black woman, puts it clearly: “She doesn’t want to be the only Black person around, suffering microaggressions constantly.”
Tucker believes there are still opportunities for Americans to build a new life in Europe, but agrees it can be easier in major cities: “They tend to be very diverse, progressive areas where Americans still feel like they can find community in a place.”
Another major block for those workers is that the United States’ tax system is citizenship-based, not residence-based — it is, in fact, a rare case of a country that taxes its citizens no matter where they live. “This is another point against global mobility for U.S. citizens,” states Tucker. She explains that there are measures to help reduce or eliminate double taxation, though — you can read more about them in our full interview with the advisor.
How European employers can benefit
Europe has long been losing skilled tech workers to the U.S., drawn by higher salaries and, in many cases, lower taxes. However, the tables could be turning now. The American tech exodus could benefit Europe, especially as the region faces a critical shortage of IT talent.
McKinsey estimates that by 2027, the tech talent gap in the European Union could range from 1.4 million to 3.9 million people. And according to Eurostat, in 2024, 10.3 million people were employed in ICT specialist roles across the EU — 9.7 million short of the bloc’s target of 20 million by 2030.
European companies now have an opportunity to tap into the American talent pool, helping to fill critical gaps in IT and AI skills. Many of these professionals also bring work habits shaped by highly competitive, fast-paced environments, which can enhance the performance and execution of the teams they join.
Beyond filling jobs, the influx of American immigrants could also strengthen transatlantic cooperation. Within large companies that operate on both sides of the Atlantic, these workers can facilitate smoother collaboration between European and U.S. teams. Moreover, they often maintain professional and academic ties in the U.S. — networks that can foster new partnerships, investment flows, and opportunities across the Atlantic.
One effective strategy is to offer candidates a career outlook beyond the scope of a temporary visa — addressing a common concern among these workers. And while many European companies cannot match the compensation levels available in the United States, it is important to explain to candidates that living costs are often considerably lower, and that many public services — from healthcare to education — are either free or heavily subsidized. Tucker recalls her own experience moving from the U.S. to Europe: “I joined a tech startup in Berlin in 2019, and when we were talking salary, they came back with almost 50% of what my current salary was then. But they pitched it with, well, the cost of living is significantly lower.”
Importantly, attracting American workers alone is not the structural solution to Europe’s IT talent shortage — it’s a palliative. Without deeper investment in education, training, and retention of local professionals, the underlying shortage will persist long after the wave of American relocations subsides.
Is Europe even all that? The reality check
An American living in Switzerland, Tucker likes to emphasize that Europe is not all rainbows and unicorns. “It’s not all just sunshine and roses here,” she says. “In every global city and every major city in Europe, there is a housing crisis, there is a housing shortage. So, someone who moved to Berlin 10 years ago, or Munich 10 years ago, they’re locked into a much better rate at rent than someone who’s trying to find a rental property now. And so you’re gonna pay more for rent than a local likely would. Plus, as a non-EU person, you are also at the short end.”
Tucker also notes that although many of the Americans leaving the U.S. are progressive and seek similarly progressive environments in Europe, the Old Continent is not immune to the global shift toward the political right: “We’re seeing a move to the right in Europe as well. And I talk about that with my clients as well. It’s not that the U.S. has moved to the right and Europe has continued to be super progressive. We’re seeing the same move to the right, but things here in Europe move a lot slower.” She explains: “There’s a lot more bureaucracy [in Europe], there’s not just a two-party system — there’s often multi-party systems — so things can’t just move at the pace that things are moving ahead in the U.S., where it feels like we thought we had the safeguards, and they’ve just completely disappeared overnight.”
Again, tech-wise, Europe lags behind the U.S. in several strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, semiconductors, and large-scale digital platforms. This is not a new development. Back in the 90s, a Green Paper on innovation by the European Commission coined the expression “European Paradox” to refer to the bloc’s difficulty in transforming its strong scientific output into marketable innovations: “One of Europe’s major weaknesses lies in its inferiority in terms of transforming the results of technological research and skills into innovations and competitive advantages.” The continent’s slower regulatory processes and lower levels of risk capital have continued to constrain its ability to scale tech innovations at the pace seen in the U.S. — and, more recently, in China.
American tech workers vent about their desire to leave America
We’ve compiled highlights of popular posts by tech workers in the community, with minimal style adjustments. Please note that we have not independently verified the identities or backgrounds of these individuals, and we therefore rely on the assumption that their posts are shared in good faith.
“Exit plan for software engineer and family?”
The wife of a senior software engineer shares concerns about his compensation outside the U.S.:
“Worried he would not be able to find a job with reasonable compensation outside of the U.S. No languages other than English.
Will any countries with a good quality of life take us?? Everything I’m finding is so discouraging.”
“2 tech workers looking to leave the US”
A tech worker expresses frustration with the country, but also shares concerns about the pay cut she would take abroad:
“Hi, we are DINKs [dual income, no kids: a couple with no children] and own our own 2,000sqft home and both work in technology. […] Tech salaries in the UK, Scotland, and Ireland don’t look great…. as in… like less than 1/2 my salary here, not great. A security engineer there makes $38k?!?!? That’s a minimum $110k here!!! And data engineers make $65k? Here it’s like $130k. How do you immigrate from the U.S. and survive on that low of a salary? We’d prefer to move to a more walkable place in a mostly English-speaking country. […] But with how much we make here, I cannot fathom how we would make ends meet with a gigantic pay cut. Compared to what we’ve paid in interest, loans, just buying things we need in the U.S… how does one pull it off? […]
I know people live and thrive and are wealthy in Europe, but how? But I need to be prepared to get out of here. I’m at my wits’ end with this country.
Any advice about how the transition goes and being able to live on a tech worker salary in Europe?”
“Sharing my experience of leaving America”
A software engineer shares his experience leaving America for the Netherlands with his wife and kids in June this year:
“We started to think seriously about leaving in February. In March, I started applying for jobs, and fortunately, I got one by April. […] Each step was stressful but exciting […]
We know we made the right choice, it will just take some time to adapt to our new life.
I’m saying all of this from a very, very privileged position. Nothing compared to […] people having to flee warzones or cruel dictatorships. I feel guilty sometimes.”
“Help me evaluate my exit strategy”
A 29-year-old software developer with a background in computer science and USD 80,000 in student loan debt asks for feedback on their exit strategy:
“Wherever I go, I’ll learn the language; that’s not a problem. I am currently taking German classes in case I end up moving there.”
“Considering moving to Norway, seems like they have at least a couple of brain cells left”
An IT worker writes:
“I’ve had enough of America’s insanity. I hate cars. The endless prodding into other people’s sexuality is gross. I’m not even LGBT and I think that recent developments are disgusting.
Norway looks like it’s trying to build an actual functioning society instead of whatever the hell America has become. I also like the winter weather, the cozy culture, and I have some skill in their skills shortage (cyber security/IT).”
“U.S. Software engineer looking for guidance for my escape plan”
A young software developer writes:
“So, I’m a 26-year-old male gay middle eastern American citizen trying to leave because the states bc I fear for the political situation. I have around 2+ years of more front-end/full-stack JavaScript experience. I work at a Fortune 500 company. My bachelor’s is in Biology from a top U.S. university, and I learned how to code by going to a coding bootcamp.
My target countries I have been considering are Australia, Ireland, the UK, and Spain (I’m pretty open though, as long as the quality of life is good).”
“Tech person looking to leave — where to start?”
A non-binary software engineer writes:
“I’ve been wanting to leave for years, but for obvious reasons this whole thing has now taken on a more desperate vibe. […] I have a decade-long career as a software QA developer specializing in automation.
I know that I will take a pay cut if I leave. This is not a problem to me personally.
American culture is absolutely insane. The air of desperation was there before but now it’s at a breaking point. Because everyone is desperate and scared, everyone is inclined to go at each other’s throats.
I’ve been reading through this sub a bunch and it seems like the European countries (particularly Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland) have good, or at least better than the U.S., vibes.”
“Trans woman in tech with MS looking to leave the USA”
A machine learning engineer, a trans woman eligible for Irish citizenship but leaning towards Portugal’s digital nomad visa, says she’s willing to sacrifice her comfortable life in America for a new life in Europe:
“I’m a millennial-ish trans woman based in Portland, OR. I began my transition over 3 years ago, and have kinda gone through about all my major milestones. […] I just want to live my life as a woman. Unfortunately, it seems that in the USA, I cannot feasibly do this anymore.
I currently work in tech as a machine learning engineer (basically just software engineering). My job is fully remote, pay is good, but it’s very much a “golden handcuffs” situation. The industry in the U.S. is stagnant, my pay has been nearly flat for about 4 years, and all recruiters on LinkedIn kinda just “forgot” about me once I came out publicly. I’m very disillusioned with the role and my field.
[…]
Nonetheless, I have a pretty solid set of skills that I feel could translate into solid international freelance/consulting gigs. I have “worn many hats” as they say in my industry. I have worked as a data analyst, data scientist, data engineer, machine learning engineer (basically I work a lot with data, crunching numbers, math, AI, you name it). I previously worked at a semi-notable Silicon Valley telehealth company where I built their initial and core proprietary machine learning models that yielded $10M+ business value. Education-wise, I have a dual BS in Economics and Statistics + an MS in Statistics from a top 10 public U.S. university. To be quite frank, I haven’t really worked on a formal portfolio for all of this, so I am kind of winging it right now since I need to GTFO this country.
[…]
While I may have some comforts or luxuries now, I am willing to sacrifice a lot to escape.
[…]
My priority isn’t really for making a ton of money.”
“Any American Software Engineers who took a pay cut to leave?”
A software engineer with a USD 180,000 salary in the U.S. asks for advice while he prepares to take a pay cut for a job in Norway:
“It’s not really a secret that American software engineers have some pretty high salaries, which are not very achievable in other parts of the world. I lucked into this career, and have done pretty well in the past few years, but am considering leaving nonetheless due to everything that’s been happening lately.
[…]
Are there any software engineers here who have made similar decisions? How do you feel looking back at your choice?”
One of the top comments on this post was from a software engineer who was about to relocate to Germany:
“Software engineer here in the process of trading $260k in the U.S. for $130k in Munich, so I feel you.
Some people think I’m crazy for turning down so much money, others are completely understanding of leaving and think it’s the best move.
Life is more than just accumulating wealth. Would I take $400k to go live in South Sudan? Absolutely not.”
Another top comment was from a worker in Poland:
“I’m lucky in that I didn’t take a pay cut, but knowing what I know now after six months of living in Kraków, I wouldn’t hesitate to take a pay cut to move to where I am. I feel healthier, more connected with the community (the number of third places here is insane), and more alive in general.
I think a lot of us Americans have this fear of FOMO for not making the highest salary possible, which I think is partly because of ‘status’ (‘100k before 30!!!’) and partly because, well, we don’t have the social nets that other places do.”
“5.5 years of software engineering (Java) experience, but no degree”
A Java developer seeks advice on their real chances of success in Europe without holding a degree:
“I’ve heard it’s a lot harder to get hired as a dev without a degree in most countries outside of the U.S., and pretty much impossible to immigrate as a dev without one. Is this true?
I’ve worked as a Java developer for five and a half years with no degree. What are my best options to get out of the U.S.?
I would actually love to get a degree, so studying abroad would be great, but I don’t have the money saved to support myself while going to school, so if I couldn’t work, I’d be kind of screwed.”
Wrapping up
Amid Europe’s IT talent shortage, the arrival of skilled American tech professionals may help temporarily ease the pressure on European employers and bring new perspectives shaped by the U.S. tech ecosystem. Yet, the proper long-term solution lies in strengthening Europe’s own talent pipeline — through investment in education, retention, and policies that make local careers in technology both competitive and sustainable. It also requires reinforcing Europe’s IT sector itself.
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