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Many people enter federal roles for job security, not for the money. But some federal jobs can offer both.
Data from the US Office of Personnel Management from September indicates 64 federal job categories have positions that pay over $200,000 — and some pay as much as much as $400,000.
As opportunities in the public sector expand, interest in government jobs continues to grow with layoffs plaguing certain industries, like tech.
The average number of applications to full time government jobs has roughly doubled over the past year, according to Handshake data from August 2023 to March 2024. The number of open jobs from government employers has also increased by 25%, a spokesperson said.
While you may not be making more than you would in the same role at a private company, government jobs offer additional benefits that you probably won't get at a corporate job, like pensions and flexible scheduling.
While most of the higher-paying roles reflect seniority level, many government careers offer linear paths for promotions because of the General Schedule pay scale, which is a hierarchical system used by many government agencies.
We've highlighted some of the highest-paying job categories and included some recent listings so you can check out the most up-to-date salary for open positions.
You can use the code in parentheses to find government jobs in the categories listed.
Positions under the category of medical officer can earn $300,000 or more. According to OPM data, close to 12,400 people earn $300,000 or more as a medical officer (0602). Other high-paying positions in the medical field include specialized physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses.
A gastroenterologist physician is currently listed on usajobs.gov for up to $400,000 annually, which is equivalent to what the President earns.
OPM data indicates that 3,156 attorneys for the federal government make between $200,000 and $299,999. Currently, usajobs.gov has 207 open listings under the general attorney category code. The highest paying open listing for an attorney in that category offers a starting salary of $199,654.
Positions in this category range from titles like national bank examiner to anti-money laundering examiner. These roles also usually involve work with institutions like the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Department of the Treasury. According to OPM data, people in this position can make just below $300,000.
There are currently 36 open positions in this category, with the highest role listed with a starting salary of $180,564.
This category includes IT specialists at the leadership level. These positions range from all different kinds of departments and according to OPM data, 941 people in these roles make over $200,000, with about 7% of that number making between $260,000 to $279,999.
The highest-paying open role under this category is for a deputy director and chief information security officer and it's listed at a starting salary of $193,819.
This category includes a wide range of roles related to the sciences. Some open listings include biologist for the FDA, fire management specialist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, or social scientist for the Forest Service. According to OPM, there are currently 319 federal employees in this job category who make over $200,000.
The highest open role is for a chief operating officer at the Department of the Interior and offers a salary range that maxes out at $221,900
OPM data indicates that the highest-paid employees in this category make between $200,000 to $219,999. Some of these positions include research roles or general engineer roles, while higher-paying positions are more senior roles in this field.
The highest-paid open role is listed as a deputy associate administrator, exploration systems development mission directorate and has a starting salary of $217,471.
HR management is the umbrella term for all HR specialist positions. The highest paying bracket in this category is between $260,000 to $279,999.
The highest-paid listing on usajobs.com is currently for a deputy division chief at the Department of Homeland Security and it has a starting salary of $163,964.
Air traffic control workers have the highest number of workers making between $200,000 and $219,999 per year, although other fields may offer higher salary ranges. According to OPM employment data, 2,079 air traffic workers make salaries in that bracket.
Usajobs.gov shows 57 listings for this job category. An open role for a supervisory air traffic control specialist has a starting salary of $212,321.
