As another datapoint. I don't know what he's making nowadays, but the IRS -does- have developers in the midwest (Michigan). A colleague I went to college with

As another datapoint. I don't know what he's making nowadays, but the IRS -does- have developers in the midwest (Michigan). A colleague I went to college with actually wound up getting a job with them after college. At the time the pay wasn't 'great' but the pension looked good. OTOH, this was in 2007, so if nothing else he had stability during those times. Although, it was COBOL... that said, they didn't require any COBOL experience and he spent his first 2-3 months training.