4 ms·
In the US military, you could figure out exactly what anyone made, because it was based on a rank + tenure formula that did not have many exceptions. There was
by tyingq 5y ago
In the US military, you could figure out exactly what anyone made, because it was based on a rank + tenure formula that did not have many exceptions. There was some regional stuff around housing allowances, hazard pay, etc, but that was also formula driven. The "secret" then, was about how to get promoted faster, and not what your pay was. Not that it's a solution for the private sector, but it was easy to understand.
- topkai22 5y agoDon’t forget reenlistment bonuses- those can be quite substantial and, while formula driven, are complex enough to be opaque.
- jcims 5y agoPretty much all federal/state compensation is public info. Here's info for Ohio - https://checkbook.ohio.gov/Salaries/ https://checkbook.ohio.gov/Salaries/ I can search for my wife by name and find her salary from previous years.
- tyingq 5y agoAh, it was a while ago. Government civilians also had "GS<some number>" pay grades, but it was less easy to find out what <some number> they were, since no uniforms.