I'd always heard that too, but that's not been my experience. Some examples. The person that went to DC? I know where that device is going, and the exact location because I was offered a chance to interview there. It's way up north. 60k a year. The only good thing about that is you're not able to spend it. He was also offered 60k a year to live in the beltway to do the job at this facility. Both are government. I was offered the chance to interview for some RADAR station out on an atoll in the middle of fucking nowhere. I think the Marshall Islands...60k a year. The NWS job paid the most, it was closer to 70k - not enough to live in the beltway. A guy I worked with recently left his company to go work for a government entity as an IT professional. Paid less, but had a little better benefits. That was his plus, being able to take care of his kids without breaking the bank. The most I've ever been offered was 80k on a contract to go work the old Hawk Missiles, doing repairs (the missle console in the Six Million Dollar Man.) Reason: I know both vacuum electronics and digital electronics. Not many people out there like me that aren't 80. They offered 80k on contract, no bennies. I told them that was not a valid number. Just for comparison, the jobs I mentioned first probably pay about 65k minimum in nowhere, Ohio.