Tell Your Story: GS-15s Considering Quiting their Federal Government Jobs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

Yes, my DH is a GS-15, and when he first got the job 15 years ago it seemed like a good salary. Now with inflation it seems too low for being at director level in this HCOL area, even with the step level increases. It’s hard to believe that the top pay level is barely enough to support a family in this area. He’s focused on the job stability, though, so he will never leave.

Can’t you work?

PP here. I do work. I wish I didn’t have to! I’m just pointing out that the value of the compensation has decreased over time.

Yep, the years of 0% pay increases compound more and more and the lousy raises don't help either. I think a capped 15 makes about 12.4% more than they did in 2010.

np- i don't remember what i made in 2010 but i am not sure how you came up with 12.4%.

It’s easily searchable. A 15-10 made 155,500 in 2010 and currently makes 176,300…so actually a little more than 13% more, but still pretty close to OP’s claim.

[Anonymous]

I left government 1 year ago - I was a gs15-10 with 7 years of service and 44. I was miserable, my boss was terrible, my coworkers were meh and I just couldn't see myself doing the job any longer.

I am so happy. I got a big pay bump, better benefits, nice coworkers, I have a ton of opportunity, etc... And I think of the 7 years worth of income I lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is easy. no one feels sorry for capped GS-15s, but the pay has fallen so extremely far below what is available in the private sector. if your family HHI is only 1 GS-15 salary, it doesnt go very far and is at times pretty challenging in this high COL area

Yes, my DH is a GS-15, and when he first got the job 15 years ago it seemed like a good salary. Now with inflation it seems too low for being at director level in this HCOL area, even with the step level increases. It’s hard to believe that the top pay level is barely enough to support a family in this area. He’s focused on the job stability, though, so he will never leave.

Can’t you work?

PP here. I do work. I wish I didn’t have to! I’m just pointing out that the value of the compensation has decreased over time.

Yep, the years of 0% pay increases compound more and more and the lousy raises don't help either. I think a capped 15 makes about 12.4% more than they did in 2010.

np- i don't remember what i made in 2010 but i am not sure how you came up with 12.4%.

If you're pay capped, you don't get the locality pay increases, nor do you get step increases.

https://www.federalpay.org/gs/raises

Shows the base raises. Add's up to 12.6%, but you have to multiply the percentages, and its slightly over 13%.

Core inflation averaged 2.44% per year between 2011 and 2022 (vs all-CPI inflation of 2.59%), for an inflation total of 30.31%. In 2011, core inflation was 1.66%.

When using the core inflation measurement, $1 in 2011 is equivalent in buying power to $1.30 in 2022, a difference of $0.30. I felt a lot more comfortable living on my 2011 pay back in 2011 than I do today.

[Anonymous]

How are cyber making $220? I thought they got a 10% boost. Isn’t that more like $195K?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are cyber making $220? I thought they got a 10% boost. Isn’t that more like $195K?

I think they make up to 255k/VP salary

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-retention/2021/08/dhs-details-how-itll-recruit-pay-and-promote-new-hires-under-cyber-talent-management-system/

[Anonymous]

I’m a maxed out 15. I’m 36 so I’ve got a while. I’m not planning on quitting. My schedule is flexible and with two elementary aged kids, I need that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left because I topped out, and with 15 years left to work, it didn't make sense with what I could earn in the private sector to continue to sit and never make any more money aside from COLA. I wasn't interested in SES life.

This is exactly my story. Very glad I made the move.

What fields?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left government 1 year ago - I was a gs15-10 with 7 years of service and 44. I was miserable, my boss was terrible, my coworkers were meh and I just couldn't see myself doing the job any longer.

I am so happy. I got a big pay bump, better benefits, nice coworkers, I have a ton of opportunity, etc... And I think of the 7 years worth of income I lost.

What field/industry?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a GS-15/10 with cyberpay. $220k is certainly good money, but it was far from my earning potential. I might have been okay to continue at that earning level indefinitely except for:

1) A pretty painful work environment with a lot of focus on empire building rather than mission.
2) A high concentration of low EQ and/or low skill coworkers who we can't get rid of.
3) Inflation cutting into my pay and an increasing delta between my comp and earning potential.
4) No real upward mobility.

At a certain point, it all became too much and I bailed to industry. More than doubled my pay, reduced my stress, improved my career opportunities, and gained all the flexibility and accountability of a well-funded private sector firm. I'm very glad I made the move, but many govies wouldn't be successful in the transition.

Yeah cyber is a pretty nice thing and you lucked into timing -- it will likely be oversupplied with labor within a decade with all the people chasing the degree. Its generally not a high barrier to entry like law/medicine, nor has prestige gating with MBAs.

Well, I certainly agree that I was lucky with timing. I don't agree with your market analysis, though. Cyber is currently short several hundred thousand qualified personnel in a wide variety of positions whereas there seems to be a glut of lawyers. It should be a good market for another 20 years at least, and even then, it's not exactly easy to waltz into the field - technology is always changing and it requires constant re-skilling at both the individual and industry levels. People get weeded out quickly.

Well, it’s important to note that not all Cyber jobs are equal and not all make so much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are cyber making $220? I thought they got a 10% boost. Isn’t that more like $195K?

The vast majority don’t make that salary.

[Anonymous]

For those of you that made the leap, have your hours changed? With elementary school kids, its nice to know I can rely on a 40-hour-a-week schedule. Of course sometimes I work late, but not regularly.

I’m 43 and starting to consider this change. I’ve been a 15 for a decade and the pay stagnation is starting to feel limiting. NO desire for SES. I have the benefit that I love my agency and coworkers. And I have a ton of outside-work commitments with the kids so I really rely and appreciate the predictable schedule.

Also - any thoughts on at what age it’s too late to make the leap? E.g. Would I still be marketable at 48?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left government 1 year ago - I was a gs15-10 with 7 years of service and 44. I was miserable, my boss was terrible, my coworkers were meh and I just couldn't see myself doing the job any longer.

I am so happy. I got a big pay bump, better benefits, nice coworkers, I have a ton of opportunity, etc... And I think of the 7 years worth of income I lost.

What field/industry?

Tech/Software company.

I am SO much happier and I have a ton of flexibility. We all work smarter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are cyber making $220? I thought they got a 10% boost. Isn’t that more like $195K?

The vast majority don’t make that salary.

In my agency- it can be 20-25% boost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you that made the leap, have your hours changed? With elementary school kids, its nice to know I can rely on a 40-hour-a-week schedule. Of course sometimes I work late, but not regularly.

I’m 43 and starting to consider this change. I’ve been a 15 for a decade and the pay stagnation is starting to feel limiting. NO desire for SES. I have the benefit that I love my agency and coworkers. And I have a ton of outside-work commitments with the kids so I really rely and appreciate the predictable schedule.

Also - any thoughts on at what age it’s too late to make the leap? E.g. Would I still be marketable at 48?

Similar situation here. Late 30s, capped 15 for the last 5 years. My job and coworkers are great, and the agency knows it needs to be flexible and accommodating to retain people. As someone with young kids, that helps a lot.

But the idea of just watching my income shrink each year due to inflation for the next 25+ years is pretty troubling.

[Anonymous]

I don't know guys. I am still in the system and near retirement. I like the idea of getting ~70k of pension and medical coverage for until the day both of us check out. Looking back, it was worth it for us.