Here's a detailed look at how total compensation compares between the private sector and federal positions by education level: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/6

Here's a detailed look at how total compensation compares between the private sector and federal positions by education level: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60235 https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60235 The key takeaways: - staffers with high school or some college make more, on average, working for federal gov't, primarily due to the benefits. But it's an exaggeration to describe the difference as "unparalleled" - comp is roughly equivalent for holders of bachelor's - comp for holders of professional degrees or doctorates (JD, MD, MBA, PhD) is significantly lower on average for federal jobs