The median salary in the US is $43k for the latest year I see data (2023). Median salary in the Netherlands and Germany was €44-48k or ~$50-55k.

We might make half as much (rather less for me actually) because of our specific industry, but that's not generally true.

Not sure where you're getting that $43k number. The most up to date number is $65,052[0].

"Median weekly earnings of the nation's 120.9 million full-time wage and salary workers were $1,251 in the second quarter of 2026"

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/wkyeng.pdf