The max GS15 salary is like $175k and there’s lots of government benefits. Max GS14 is $150. Max GS13 is $125.
And there’s lots of benefits (23 paid days off, 13 sick every year), pension, etc etc.
This won’t compete with FAANG or with HCO, but in most areas of the country (or full remote) this is fine for a programmer’s pay.
I hear the complaint that fed doesn’t pay for tech and I think that’s not true.
The BLS has median programmer pay $90k in 2020 [0] so government pay is certainly competitive. This is median too, while the lowest possible GS13 pay is $100k.
Without locality pay, which varies by locality, a GS15 max salary is $146,757. The max GS14 is $124,764 and the max GS13 is $105,579. [0]
The 23 paid days off per year is only after 15 years of service. Someone new, without prior military service, would start at 13 paid days off per year.
The pension, for those hired after 1984 is roughly 1% x 3 yr high salary x years worked. (If you your three year high salary was $100,000 and you worked for 30 years, you get a pension of $30,000 per year.) You would also collect Social Security. (Feds hired prior to 1984 have a much higher pension and don't get Social Security.)
15 years of service gives you 26 days of leave (normal paid time off) plus 13 additional days of sick leave.
If you retire at 62, you get 1.1% per year of your high-three salary for the annuity. This is in addition to whatever contributions you make to TSP, which are matched to 5%.
"Computer Programmer" is basically an obsolete job classification at this point. You want "Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers"[1], which has 10 times as many people and a much higher average salary.
> The max GS15 salary is like $175k and there’s lots of government benefits. Max GS14 is $150. Max GS13 is $125.
They are actually higher than that based on locality pay, here are FY22 numbers.
DC for example:
GS12 Max $116,788
GS13 Max $138,868
GS14 Max $164,102
GS15 Max $176,300*
Silicon Valley by comparison:
GS12 Max $126,742
GS13 Max $150,703
GS14 Max $176,300
GS15 Max $176,300*
> I hear the complaint that fed doesn’t pay for tech and I think that’s not true.
While the federal govt does pay, in many cases the federal pay is not as competitive as it needs to be for high demand specialties that require a good amount of skills.
Recently I was talking with an executive about building a software security capability within our engineering division for the space domain.
Trying to hire great talent capping out @176k is simply not competitive with all the local FAANGs and startups doing specialized software security work in the aerospace/aeronautics domain.
From my experience, GS14 and above roles are allocated in limited numbers to each program/branch/division. Of course, many other companies do this to some degree, and one obviously can rotate in the government. However, not every program will have GS14, nevermind GS15 opportunities.
GS is also (like all companies, etc, etc) adjusted per locality, so not every GS13 step 4 will be the same.
From my experience, ICs in technical fields like programming, data science, and cyber get hired in as Gs13-15 in non-supervisory roles.
Yes, GS is adjusted for locality and it’s up and down. But $100k is the minimum for GS-13, step 1 in most localities and is higher in high cost of living areas like DC, NY, etc.
But if you want a programmer job in government it’s not a big pay cut unless you’re a superstar working for Google or something. If it’s a decision of random Fortune 500 or government, government will usually pay more, AND have more benefits and stability.
I am in a HCOL area on the locality chart :/ We get hired in at $70k and this seems rather common among my peers + contractors, so I don't exactly know how someone is getting $100k at the door. People who have been here ~5+ years are GS13 or equivalent. However, most of us aren't and I don't see any upward trends, as our GS14/+ slots are being slowly retired/transferred away. There seems to be a large age gap between the newer engineers and the older ones. Sounds silly, I know. I am wondering if most of us are going to wander off then come back for retirement? Or is the program doomed in the long run?
Thanks. I think I just needed to see it from someone outside of my program.
I live in a landlocked state and make >$200k with <5 YOE, as do 5 of my friends (all different companies). None of us work for FAANG. I think you are significantly underestimating private compensation at most companies that sell software.
And there’s lots of benefits (23 paid days off, 13 sick every year), pension, etc etc.
This won’t compete with FAANG or with HCO, but in most areas of the country (or full remote) this is fine for a programmer’s pay.
I hear the complaint that fed doesn’t pay for tech and I think that’s not true.
The BLS has median programmer pay $90k in 2020 [0] so government pay is certainly competitive. This is median too, while the lowest possible GS13 pay is $100k.
[0] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/...