It's not a bad deal if you're young and single. It wasn't tenable for me to bring my wife and daughter to share a townhouse with a bunch of other USDS [+] staff making $130k/year.
[+] I'm aware that USDS and 18F are independent branches.
[+] I'm aware that USDS and 18F are independent branches.
Of course given the compensation and maximum length of tenure I imagine that most people are not doing it for the money.
Also, "hundreds of thousands" is a gross exaggeration. Most software engineers nationwide don't make that to begin with.
YMMV of course, but even without a clearance you are selling yourself short here.
Is it hard to believe that some are going to be hitting more than $200k above the 18F numbers?
Note that we're comparing the absolute max for GS employees to the average at Facebook.
"Some people at Facebook" is a much smaller set than "quite a few private sector jobs", which the statement GP was responding to.
Perhaps GP misread "quite a few private sector jobs" as "most private sector jobs"?
I've commented on the who's hiring thread about the US Digital Service's post. GS-15 base pay doesn't seem so bad, but drug testing, no relocation stipend (work from DC only), and no bonuses were all pretty big black marks.
Regardless of DC median wages, housing is very expensive to be reasonably close to where you'd be working onsite for 18F or USDS assignments.