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

 

CBO Weighs in with a Report on Wages (by Joe Davidson, Washington Post)

Public-Private Pay Gap Varies Greatly by Education Level (by Andrew Lapin, NextGov)

Comparing the Compensation of Federal and Private-Sector Employees (Congressional Budget Office)

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)