Well firstly, I’m 2018 grad with an accounting degree and accepted a job at 110k at a smaller company after working for a top 3 contractor globally for just 2.5 years, and I’m fully willing to admit that accountants and program managers are far lower skilled than any engineer. Secondly, I’m now at a software company who starts entry level software engineers above 120k who don’t have clearances whatsoever. Smaller companies with less bureaucracy have the ability to promote based on merit and achievement that would break the corporate structure of someone like Lockheed or Northrop.

Feel free to send me a dm and I can be more specific and/or show you some open req’s where I work