While that is cool. You have to realize he's not getting this rate all the time or at least that many projects that can be billed out as such. Pivotal labs can though. I'd know about it, having done similar work in SF. It's unusual. Typically rates are pretty normalized and much lower, however I'm surprised rates are actually consistent across the US despite the cost of living. Makes me feel like I'm working a lot harder for less, which is probably true. That's SF!

That certainly offsets costs of living in SF.

That depends on how much time he/she can book at that rate.