Federal pay ahead of private industry

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Federal employees earn higher average salaries than private-sector workers in more than eight out of 10 occupations, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data finds.

Accountants, nurses, chemists, surveyors, cooks, clerks and janitors are among the wide range of jobs that get paid more on average in the federal government than in the private sector.

Overall, federal workers earned an average salary of $67,691 in 2008 for occupations that exist both in government and the private sector, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The average pay for the same mix of jobs in the private sector was $60,046 in 2008, the most recent data available.

These salary figures do not include the value of health, pension and other benefits, which averaged $40,785 per federal employee in 2008 vs. $9,882 per private worker, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-0...pay_N.htm#chart

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What do you expect after a lost decade for working Americans?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In the private sector, your pay lags inflation if you stick around too long with one company and don't get promoted. And with all the fad these days about having "flat organizations", promotions don't happen as much as they used to. And with all the boomers who never saved and took inordinate risks with what money they do have, they ain't retiring so forget about filling positions.

None of that is a problem in the federal government. You get cost of living increases every year. And federal employees tend to want to retire.

[Ali G. 37]

All this illustrates is that while the private sector earns billions in profits, it underpays their workers.

In the private sector, your pay lags inflation if you stick around too long with one company and don't get promoted. And with all the fad these days about having "flat organizations", promotions don't happen as much as they used to. And with all the boomers who never saved and took inordinate risks with what money they do have, they ain't retiring so forget about filling positions.

None of that is a problem in the federal government. You get cost of living increases every year. And federal employees tend to want to retire.

Agreed.

[Ali G. 37]

Furthermore, this is no different to most other first world countries. Quite frankly, I want the best people working for the federal government, rather than some clown. The immigration system is plagued with low paid clowns and we all know how efficient that process works.

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. It's as simple as that..

Edited March 5, 2010 by Booyah

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Furthermore, this is no different to most other first world countries. Quite frankly, I want the best people working for the federal government, rather than some clown. The immigration system is plagued with low paid clowns and we all know how efficient that process works.

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. It's as simple as that..

I remember our graduating computer science class back in 1998. Hiring was booming back then and employers kept visiting us on campus to interview. Round after round after round. Everyone had multiple offers. Some students got more, some less. Some employers were more in demand, and some less. I vividly recall our first CS career fair. The line in front of the Goldman booth was hella long. The line in front of the FBI and Navy booths were non-existent. Not one student was interested In the end, the best students almost all ended up working for the the Street. The second tier of students, people like me, at IT services firms and non-Street IT departments. The dumbasses ended up going government.

[Ali G. 37]

I remember our graduating computer science class back in 1998. Hiring was booming back then and employers kept visiting us on campus to interview. Round after round after round. Everyone had multiple offers. Some students got more, some less. Some employers were more in demand, and some less. I vividly recall our first CS career fair. The line in front of the Goldman booth was hella long. The line in front of the FBI and Navy booths were non-existent. Not one student was interested In the end, the best students almost all ended up working for the the Street. The second tier of students, people like me, at IT services firms and non-Street IT departments. The dumbasses ended up going government.

Which is exactly why you want the government to pay well. People here love to blame the government for everything but fail to look at why the government is traditionally inefficient. Better yet, why governments in other foreign nations don't have the same issues as we do here. The key is in the previous posts and article.

[MrsCat 6]

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. It's as simple as that..

Yup. TSA workers for example, real bunch of dumbasses there at times. Paid like #######. What do we expect for $13/hr.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yup. TSA workers for example, real bunch of dumbasses there at times. Paid like #######. What do we expect for $13/hr.

TSA workers at Newark are the worst I've seen. I flew to Florida a few months ago through a smaller airport in Atlantic City and the TSA people there were awesome!

[MrsCat 6]

TSA workers at Newark are the worst I've seen. I flew to Florida a few months ago through a smaller airport in Atlantic City and the TSA people there were awesome!

I had one in Seattle, check my ID, before going through scanning and then ask how long I had before my plane left, so that perhaps I'd like to meet him for coffee on his break. I just said my husband wouldn't like that. Awkward.

There have been others like the uber-small Ketchikan airport who are funny and happy. Maybe because they get 20% COLA pay up there and they're just happier for extra-cash.

TSA workers at Newark are the worst I've seen. I flew to Florida a few months ago through a smaller airport in Atlantic City and the TSA people there were awesome!

Isn't that where the one leaving his post shut down the entire airport for a security breach?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Isn't that where the one leaving his post shut down the entire airport for a security breach?

Might have been. Either Newark or JFK. They both suck.

[Kevin and 10]

I had one in Seattle, check my ID, before going through scanning and then ask how long I had before my plane left, so that perhaps I'd like to meet him for coffee on his break. I just said my husband wouldn't like that. Awkward.

Now they will just naked body scan you then ask if you want meet them for coffee.

[MrsCat 6]

Now they will just naked body scan you then ask if you want meet them for coffee.

eeeewwwwww

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Might have been. Either Newark or JFK. They both suck.

It was at EWR.