Many public sector jobs – such as teachers and social workers – require college or graduate degrees, while some of the largest private sector occupations – such as cashiers and waiters – require little formal education.
- In the U.S., 27.4% of public sector employees have college degrees and 23.5% have advanced degrees, compared to 20.9% and 8.9% respectively in the private sector.
-
In Washington, 48.3% of state and local government employees have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 31.4% of private sector workers in the state.
- The average age of public sector workers in Washington is 47 compared to 39 in private industry.
- Overall, people whose formal education ended with a high school diploma or associate’s degree tend to earn slightly more in the public sector, but those with a bachelor’s degree or higher earn significantly less in the public sector.
The average total compensation gap for public service, including both wages and benefits, is 6.8% to 7.6% for state workers and 1.8% to 7.4% for local government employees.
Read more | Fact sheet: Public employee compensation »
More To Read
September 28, 2023
Coming to a town near you—the EOI Policy Team!
To understand the needs and priorities of our state’s different regions, EOI is listening to the people and communities most impacted by our policy priorities.
September 12, 2023
Everyone Loses Under Washington’s Tax System
Except billionaires. And even they lose.
September 6, 2023
This Washington Shows That Washington: Proposed Federal Overtime Protections Can Go Further
Thanks to the work of advocates, thousands of Washington workers are already getting a better deal at work