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