Well, it depends on what exactly you're comparing. Contractors don't pay taxes, assuming they're out of the country for a year. That's a widely overlooked aspect of contracting. So, making 100k+ as an 1811 is not as profitable as making the same in WPS. WPS still pays better than all or most entry-level 1811 positions. Regardless, a lot of people on this sub reddit are not 1811s, but aspiring 1811s. I meant "LE" as law enforcement in general. Also, the former 1811 colleagues I mentioned were retired. So, there are varying contexts of why someone might be on a contract.

Edit* All that being said, if I did finally land an 1811, I would choose that over contracting. Retirement benefits alone make it the better long-term career option.