Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Economists say the federal government is giving raises when the private sector is not. They also hire workers with more experience or advanced degrees.
A new report by The Heritage Foundation says salaries and benefits are 30 - 40 percent higher for federal government workers than in the private sector.
Average Monthly Wages in Utah
| Local government | $2,711 |
| Private sector | $3,137 |
| Public sector | $3,324 |
| State government | $3,483 |
| Federal government | $4,970 |
But the discrepancy here is still quite large, says a Utah economist: Some federal workers are making up to 60 percent more than the private sector.
"Federal government workers in Utah in 2009 per month averaged $4,970; the private sector monthly figure was $3,137," said John Matthews, a labor market economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
Meanwhile, a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey done by DWS shows Utahns in general make less than others around the country. Matthews says the average is $18.86 an hour in the state compared to $20.90 an hour nationally.
But, Matthews says, we do have a different industry mix.
"We don't have the same industrial concentrations of higher-paying employment than the coast and the midwest's industrial centers, financial centers, international trade centers," he said.
Utah also has more part-time workers in this state and a younger workforce that doesn't get paid as much for experience. The average age of workers here is 28; nationally it's 36.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
