Government Salaries

22.7 million

government workers (BLS)

$63,390

median pay in government

states with official pay plans

69,895

state job classes with pay

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026. State plan counts: the 45 official state pay plans listed below.

Pay by level of government

Median annual wage and employment across all occupations, BLS OEWS May 2025.

Employer	Workers	Median pay
Federal	2,775,480	$87,670
State	4,795,000	$66,750
Local	15,143,210	$60,830
All government	22,713,690	$63,390
Private sector	132,782,040	$48,990

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Highest-paid government jobs

Median annual wage in government (federal, state and local combined), one job per occupation code. Elected and appointed positions such as governors and judges are left out: their pay is set position by position.

Job	Workers in government	Median pay
VA Physician SOC 29-1229	64,400	$269,550
Air Traffic Controller (FAA) SOC 53-2021	20,740	$155,040
Government Attorney (agency counsel) SOC 23-1011	163,430	$134,680
IT Specialist (government) SOC 15-1299	111,190	$119,250
Civil Engineer (DOT / city / county) SOC 17-2051	86,990	$108,820
Assistant Principal SOC 11-9032	266,040	$108,210
Environmental Engineer SOC 17-2081	12,460	$107,020
Bank / Financial Examiner SOC 13-2061	11,990	$106,440
Correctional Nurse SOC 29-1141	537,990	$100,490
Postmaster / Supervisor SOC 11-9131	13,810	$96,660
Policy / Management Analyst SOC 13-1111	195,110	$96,570
School Psychologist SOC 19-3034	53,830	$95,460
Battalion Chief / Fire Chief SOC 33-1021	95,420	$94,480
Detective / Criminal Investigator SOC 33-3021	114,300	$93,790
Hydrologist SOC 19-2043	3,970	$93,430
Transportation Inspector (DOT / FMCSA / FRA) SOC 53-6051	11,230	$93,420
Lineworker (public power utility) SOC 49-9051	15,190	$92,150
Budget Analyst SOC 13-2031	29,020	$91,170
Grants Specialist / Manager SOC 13-1199	367,260	$91,060
Social Security Claims Specialist SOC 13-1031	59,830	$90,660
Train Operator (subway / light rail) SOC 53-4041	9,330	$90,140
Contract / Procurement Specialist SOC 13-1020	74,800	$89,920
Urban / City Planner SOC 19-3051	38,460	$87,900
Emergency Management Specialist SOC 11-9161	10,300	$85,190
School Speech-Language Pathologist SOC 29-1127	78,120	$85,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Official state pay plans

Each state's own classification and pay plan for its employees: job classes and the pay grades assigned to them, imported from the state personnel agency.

State	Job classes	Effective
Alabama Alabama State Personnel Department	1,458	September 1, 2026
Arizona Arizona Department of Administration, Human Resources Division	1,588	July 23, 2022
Arkansas Arkansas Department of Shared Administrative Services, Office of Personnel Management	797	July 1, 2025
California California Department of Human Resources (CalHR)	2,549	September 14, 2026
Colorado Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR)	770	July 1, 2026
Connecticut Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Statewide Human Resources	2,664	June 26, 2026
Delaware Delaware Department of Human Resources, Classification and Compensation	1,021	July 12, 2026
Florida Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), State Human Resource Management	2,631	July 1, 2026
Georgia Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS), Human Resources Administration — Compensation	3,198	September 17, 2025
Hawaii State of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD)	1,476	July 1, 2026
Idaho Idaho Division of Human Resources	879	June 8, 2025
Illinois Illinois Department of Central Management Services	1,183	August 16, 2026
Indiana Indiana State Personnel Department	1,026	Not printed
Iowa Iowa Department of Administrative Services	896	June 19, 2026
Kentucky Kentucky Personnel Cabinet	1,149	September 16, 2026
Louisiana Louisiana Department of State Civil Service	1,937	March 2, 2026
Maine Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human Resources	1,082	August 30, 2026
Maryland Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM)	4,238	July 1, 2026
Massachusetts Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD)	1,308	July 12, 2026
Michigan Michigan Civil Service Commission	1,229	October 1, 2025
Minnesota Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB)	1,633	July 2, 2026
Mississippi Mississippi State Personnel Board	633	July 1, 2026
Missouri Missouri Office of Administration, Division of Personnel	478	July 1, 2025
Nebraska Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, State Personnel Division	1,041	July 1, 2026
Nevada Nevada Department of Administration, Division of Human Resource Management (DHRM)	1,155	July 1, 2026
New Jersey New Jersey Civil Service Commission	3,692	July 11, 2026
New Mexico New Mexico State Personnel Office (SPO), Compensation and Classification	849	July 4, 2026
New York New York State Department of Civil Service	3,450	April 1, 2026
North Carolina North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR)	1,412	February 1, 2026
North Dakota North Dakota Office of Management and Budget, Human Resource Management Services	94	July 1, 2026
Ohio Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation	1,527	July 1, 2026
Oklahoma Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), Human Capital Management	1,566	August 30, 2026
Oregon Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Chief Human Resources Office – Classification & Compensation	1,163	Not printed
Pennsylvania Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration	3,273	July 1, 2026
South Carolina South Carolina Department of Administration, Division of State Human Resources	534	Not printed
South Dakota South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration (BHRA); Unified Judicial System for judicial classes	815	July 1, 2026
Tennessee Tennessee Department of Human Resources	2,746	September 1, 2026
Texas Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team	1,246	September 1, 2025
Utah Utah Department of Government Operations, Division of Human Resource Management (DHRM)	1,831	February 18, 2026
Vermont Vermont Department of Human Resources	2,256	July 12, 2026
Virginia Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM)	294	July 25, 2026
Washington Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM), State Human Resources	1,663	July 1, 2026
West Virginia West Virginia Department of Administration, Division of Personnel	1,208	August 24, 2024
Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Management	1,600	June 28, 2026
Wyoming Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Human Resources Division	657	July 1, 2026

Not yet collected: Alaska, District of Columbia, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island.

Sources: 45 official state pay plans (state personnel agencies), linked in each row.

Salary by state for a job

Jobs with official state pay ranges, by number of states. Each job page lists the ranges state by state.

Correctional Officer (state prison) · 43 Government Auditor · 41 Civil Engineer (DOT / city / county) · 39 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor · 39 Social Worker (government) · 38 Contract / Procurement Specialist · 37 Custodian (schools & public buildings) · 37 Epidemiologist · 37 IRS Revenue Agent / Tax Examiner · 37 Engineering Technician (DOT) · 34 Accountant (government) · 33 Budget Analyst · 33 Heavy Equipment Operator (government) · 33 Administrative Law Judge / Hearing Officer · 32 Environmental Scientist (government) · 32 Crime Scene Investigator / Forensic Technician · 31 Fleet Mechanic (city/county) · 31 Bank / Financial Examiner · 30 IT Specialist (government) · 30 Administrative Assistant (government) · 29 Forester · 29 Government Attorney (agency counsel) · 29 Park Ranger (NPS / state / county) · 29 Human Resources Specialist (government) · 28 Public Information Officer · 28 Parole Officer · 27 Policy / Management Analyst · 27 Urban / City Planner · 27 State Trooper / Highway Patrol Officer · 26 911 Dispatcher / Public Safety Telecommunicator · 24 GIS Analyst / Specialist · 24 Office Clerk / Clerk Typist (government) · 24 Veterans Service Officer · 24 Wildland Firefighter · 24 Child Support Officer · 23 Detective / Criminal Investigator · 23 Grants Specialist / Manager · 23 Health Inspector / Environmental Health Specialist · 23 Highway / Road Maintenance Worker (DOT) · 22 Fish & Game Warden · 20 Wildlife / Fisheries Biologist · 20 Emergency Management Specialist · 19 Forestry Technician (USFS) · 19 Environmental Engineer · 18 Probation Officer · 18 Fire Inspector / Fire Marshal · 17 Court Reporter (official) · 16 DMV Clerk / Driver License Examiner · 16 Correctional Counselor / Case Manager · 15 Food Safety Inspector (USDA / state) · 14 Stationary Engineer (public facilities) · 14 Judicial Law Clerk · 13 Lifeguard (city / state beaches & pools) · 13 Public Health Nurse · 13 Eligibility Worker / Benefits Specialist · 12 Agricultural Inspector · 11 Child Protective Services (CPS) Caseworker · 11 Hydrologist · 11 Victim Advocate · 11 Psychiatric Technician (state hospitals) · 10 Traffic Signal Technician · 10 Environmental Compliance Inspector · 8 Fire / Arson Investigator · 8 Juvenile Corrections / Detention Officer · 8 Adult Protective Services Worker · 7 Transportation Inspector (DOT / FMCSA / FRA) · 7 Campus / University Police Officer · 5 Public Defender · 5 Community Health Worker · 4 OSHA / Workplace Safety Inspector · 4 Soil Conservationist / Conservation Scientist · 4 Toll Collector · 4 Correctional Nurse · 2 Court Clerk · 2 Court Officer / Bailiff · 1

Pay by level of government

Highest-paid government jobs

Official state pay plans

Salary by state for a job