As a web developer of 17 years, I'm dumbstruck at the idea that you're making three times as much doing this as you did at a damned defense contractor. They must have been totally chumping you.
Started really low since I knew I wanted the job and it would be temporary, didn't have any students loans (Europe baby!), and eventually ended up in position that pays better than 99% of software devs in Europe. Not most rewarding work, but its just work for me, life that matter happens for me when I log out.
Lots of defense contractors will try and pay their fresh meat 80k so they can make more money. Government gets really touchy about hourly rates per person, but has no problem with 'fair' hourly rates for many more people to do the job one person could and should do.
I made 76k at the defense contractor.
I made 255k this year (6 years later).