Schwab moved their HQ from San Francisco to Westlake, TX (between Southlake and Fort Worth). 18 months in, here's the review.
The campus:
- Brand new. Beautiful. Feels like a tech campus in the middle of Texas ranch country.
- On-site gym, trails, cafeteria, even a putting green
- Westlake location means very low crime, great schools, but ZERO nightlife. You need a car for everything.
Compensation:
- Financial Consultant: $65-85K base + $10-30K bonus (variable)
- Senior Analyst: $85-110K base + $15-25K bonus
- VP-level: $130-170K base + $30-60K bonus
- 401K match: dollar-for-dollar up to 5%
- ESPP: 15% discount
Culture:
- Post-TD Ameritrade merger integration is still ongoing. Teams are being restructured.
- Work-life balance varies by team. Trading floor roles = intense. Back office = 9-5.
- DEI initiatives are strong. Multiple ERGs.
- "Through Clients' Eyes" is the mantra. Customer-obsessed culture.
The Westlake factor:
- If you have a family: Southlake Carroll ISD (#1 in DFW), safe, affluent area
- If you're single: You'll be commuting to Fort Worth or Dallas for social life
- Housing: Westlake/Southlake median home is $750K+. Most people live in Keller/Roanoke ($380-450K) and commute 15-20 min.
Sources:
- Glassdoor — Charles Schwab reviews (4.0/5)
- Levels.fyi — Schwab compensation
- Blind — Schwab employee threads
- Company earnings reports — headcount and growth data