federal employee pay raise 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of federal salaries. Totally out of whack with COL in DC area and other major metros.

DC feds will never feel ahead because there are so many of us, we are basically an inflationary factor in this area. We rise and prices rise at the same level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who was laid off in my mid-50s and many months later landed what I consider to be a plum government position (non-supervisory GS14s6), I will take the security over higher pay any day. And the pay isn’t bad, considering.

Yeah, at 50 I feel I need to make 2x - 3x Fed salary to make a move worthwhile because there is such likelihood of being laid off for long periods — I’m not an executive

[Anonymous]

Yep at 50 as a GS 15 non supervisory attorney ill tale the security. Pay compression sucks but its better than working 50-60 hours per week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the trade off for never worrying about layoffs.

This. Plus your pension + benefits.

If it’s not worth it, move to the private sector.

The private sector doesn’t automatically get a raise every year “just because.”

And it’s more cutthroat.

Guess it depends where you are but at my megacorp pretty much everyone gets a 3.5% raise and performance is recognized through bonuses and promotions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who was laid off in my mid-50s and many months later landed what I consider to be a plum government position (non-supervisory GS14s6), I will take the security over higher pay any day. And the pay isn’t bad, considering.

Yep. I very deliberately targeted a federal job in my mid-50s. F ageism. I'm excellent at what I do and energetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year's was historically high. So we all got a morale boost and now it will average out to just normal bump in COLA. We really can't complain, that combined with reliable step increases not tied to performance is a pretty sweet deal.

It is? Maybe for a middling run of the mill employee. High performers are underpaid and will continue to be. The 5k max bonus at my agency for a 15 is sad.

The cola wasn’t a morale boost either. It didn’t even keep up with inflation. We need a few more 5% increases just to do that.

We also get pensions, so private sector employees aren't crying for us...

New employees now pay 4.4% for that pension, and that makes the pension neutral from an actuarial perspective. In other words, those employees would do just as well getting to keep that money and invest it in the stock market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the trade off for never worrying about layoffs.

This. Plus your pension + benefits.

If it’s not worth it, move to the private sector.

The private sector doesn’t automatically get a raise every year “just because.”

And it’s more cutthroat.

Guess it depends where you are but at my megacorp pretty much everyone gets a 3.5% raise and performance is recognized through bonuses and promotions.

Are you at a tech or finance mega corp?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year's was historically high. So we all got a morale boost and now it will average out to just normal bump in COLA. We really can't complain, that combined with reliable step increases not tied to performance is a pretty sweet deal.

It is? Maybe for a middling run of the mill employee. High performers are underpaid and will continue to be. The 5k max bonus at my agency for a 15 is sad.

The cola wasn’t a morale boost either. It didn’t even keep up with inflation. We need a few more 5% increases just to do that.

PP, how do you know the max bonus at your agency?

DP but my agency has an award policy and lists the max bonus. It is 7500 for non-SES.

At my mid-sized agency everyone gets the same bonus no matter what level you are. This year it was something like $4500 for Outstanding, and then $3000 and $1500 for the lower performance ratings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who was laid off in my mid-50s and many months later landed what I consider to be a plum government position (non-supervisory GS14s6), I will take the security over higher pay any day. And the pay isn’t bad, considering.

+1 Laid off in my mid-40s, consulted for a few years with various professional contacts, then landed a GS-15. Being a supervisor is a pain; mostly bc i am non-confrontational and my leadership wants me to push the lower performers. Other than that I am good at the work and I like the people, the mission and, most of all, the job security.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the trade off for never worrying about layoffs.

This. Plus your pension + benefits.

If it’s not worth it, move to the private sector.

The private sector doesn’t automatically get a raise every year “just because.”

And it’s more cutthroat.

Guess it depends where you are but at my megacorp pretty much everyone gets a 3.5% raise and performance is recognized through bonuses and promotions.

Are you at a tech or finance mega corp?

Neither. Boring manufacturing mega Corp.

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, the SEC just cancelled their extra supplemental 3 percent TSP. Which is effectively a huge pay CUT. Expect a big brain drain there soon (actually started a couple years ago).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year's was historically high. So we all got a morale boost and now it will average out to just normal bump in COLA. We really can't complain, that combined with reliable step increases not tied to performance is a pretty sweet deal.

It is? Maybe for a middling run of the mill employee. High performers are underpaid and will continue to be. The 5k max bonus at my agency for a 15 is sad.

The cola wasn’t a morale boost either. It didn’t even keep up with inflation. We need a few more 5% increases just to do that.

We also get pensions, so private sector employees aren't crying for us...

New employees now pay 4.4% for that pension, and that makes the pension neutral from an actuarial perspective. In other words, those employees would do just as well getting to keep that money and invest it in the stock market.

DP I see the 4.4 as a wash with the TSP 5% match so it's not that bad to me. I like that part of my retirement is defined benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year's was historically high. So we all got a morale boost and now it will average out to just normal bump in COLA. We really can't complain, that combined with reliable step increases not tied to performance is a pretty sweet deal.

You assume everyone is a GS employee. Many are not, and often only get COLA increases per year. It blows. Inflation will come in around 2.8-3+% this year. A COLA at or below that is essentially no raise or a pay cut

Which pay systems don't?

[Anonymous]

Agree that the job security is great but the pay at the highest levels continues to fall behind (down over 20% in real terms since those 2010-era pay freezes hit). I left three years ago and don’t regret it.

[Anonymous]

I regret slightly not working in private industey and banking $$ at a younger age, but zero regrets now being at a finreg at 48 and earning 240k/yr for 40hrs max/week.