Government Workers Paid Better than in Private Sector…Except Those with Advanced Degrees

Wednesday, February 01, 2012
For anyone with limited education, the federal government is the place to go for a job.
 
According to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), federal civil servants with only a high school diploma earned 21% more, on average, that their counterparts in the private sector.
 
But individuals with advanced degrees, such as a master’s or PhD, are better off financially in the private sector, because federal workers in this category made 23% less.
 
For workers with a bachelor’s degree, it was pretty much a wash, with both public and private employees making about the same, said the CBO. Fifty-one percent of federal workers have a bachelor’s degree compared to only 31% in the private sector.
 
Overall, federal employees made only 2% more than comparable workers in the private sector, but they gained 48% more in benefits, giving government workers a 16% total advantage. The average federal employee is four years older than the average private section employee—45 years old to 41 years old.
-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
 
To Learn More:
CBO Weighs in with a Report on Wages (by Joe Davidson, Washington Post)
Doctors Overwhelmingly Dominate Top Federal Salaries List (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)
Highly-Paid Government Employees Increase 10X in 5 Years and Double in 2 Years (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)

Government Jobs Require More Education, Pay Less (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov) 

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