Federal, State, and Local Government Employment and Wages in 2022

In 2022, the Federal, State, and Local Government industry employed over 9.6 million people in the United States, reflecting a decrease of 1% from 2021. The annual mean wage in 2022 was $70,590, and the median wage was $61,060. Compared to the national average, the wages in this industry group were higher by 14%.

Industry Sub-Groups

Among the industry sub-groups, Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) held the largest number of jobs within the Federal, State, and Local Government industry, employing over 5.4 million people in 2022. The annual mean wage in this sub-group was $63,010, with a median wage of $54,740. There was a decrease in wage variance to the national average compared to 2021, with the variance shifting from 3.6% to 1.8%, indicating industry wages lagged national wage trends.

State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) accounted for a substantial employment share, with 2.1 million people employed in 2022. The annual mean wage for this sub-group was $65,060, and the median wage was $57,640. In terms of wage variance to the national average, there was a decrease compared to 2021, with the variance shifting from 7.6% to 5.1%.

The sub-group of Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) also had considerable industry employment, with approximately 2.1 million people employed in 2022. The annual mean wage in this sub-group was $95,770 and the median wage was $88,340. The wage variance to the national average experienced a decrease compared to 2021, with the variance shifting from 58% to 54.7%.

Highest Employment Occupations

When we examine the top occupations in terms of employment within the Federal, State, and Local Government industry, we find that Registered Nurses had the highest annual mean wage in 2022, at $95,600, and a median wage of $92,310. The industry variance to the national average was 7.4%. Management Analysts had an annual mean wage of $89,690 and a median wage of $85,190. The industry variance to the national average was -14.3%. Business Operations Specialists, All Other had an annual mean wage of $89,560 and a median wage of $83,870. The industry variance to the national average was 8.3%.

Conversely, notable occupations with lower wages within the Federal, State, and Local Government industry included Office Clerks, General, with an annual mean wage of $43,070 and a median wage of $41,200. The industry variance to the national average was 4.7%. Court, Municipal, and License Clerks had an annual mean wage of $46,520 and a median wage of $44,490. The industry variance to the national average was 0.5%. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive had an annual mean wage of $46,550 and a median wage of $45,000. The industry variance to the national average was 7.2%.

Summary

In 2022, the Federal, State, and Local Government industry employed over 9.6 million people in the United States, with a 1% decrease from the previous year. However, the industry offers competitive wages, surpassing the national average by 14%. While wage variance varies among sub-groups, top occupations like Registered Nurses and Management Analysts command higher wages. Overall, the Federal, State, and Local Government industry remains an important sector with significant employment opportunities and competitive wages.

For more detailed industry insights, consider purchasing Aimiax’s 2022 Federal, State, and Local Government Industry Report.