Not sure why this is downvoted but I completely agree. The sweet spot for new grads might be a medium sized "startup" with a few hundred engineers. By that point the comp+benefits should be sorted out and it'll be less of a madhouse, but it's still a bit understaffed so you can take on some interesting responsibility.
The compensation itself is a lottery and should be treated as such. And there will be shenanigans.
I do think that startups more closely align with people with less personal responsibilities and a higher tolerance for risk.
EDIT: downvotes? just saying - this was my personal experience. YMMV.