I make a point about salary because in the article, a DHS official is quoted as saying that the retention problems are not caused by money. I claim that's BS. t

I make a point about salary because in the article, a DHS official is quoted as saying that the retention problems are not caused by money. I claim that's BS. they're totally caused by money. even if you go to a crappy school, if you are a solid programmer or system administrator, you should be able to walk into a tech job out of graduation for no less than $60k. I was able to get an IT job in the private sector with just a HS diploma that made more than ($40k) what new government workers with relevant skills and a 4 year degree were offered/making, and after 6 months at that job I had offers for 50% more (how long would you have to be on the GS scale to see this kind of movement? a lot longer than 6 months). also, no more pensions for government workers (AFAIK), at least many of them. you do have essentially job permanence though, is that worth only earning 1/3rd of your potential? the salary thing is initially okay though, cos you were broke in college so whatever, you're still broke. later, when you're 26, making $60 doing computer programming, your friends are 26, making $140 doing computer programming, and your wife looks at you and says "hey so why can Tom and Nancy have children and also live in a house instead of share an apartment with another couple?" ...