Careers in Government

how to become an arbitrator or mediatorArbitrator or Mediatorhow to become a court or license clerkCourt, Municipal or License Clerk how to become a criminal investigatorCriminal Investigator
how to become an epidemiologistEpidemiologisthow to become a forensic technicianForensic Science Technicianhow to become a paralegaParalegal
how to become a poilce officerPolice Officerhow to become an urban or regional plannerUrban and Regional Planner

The Government is the largest employer in the nation. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2013, more than 2 million federal civilian workers were employed in 350 different occupations. Careers in government can vary significantly and include a wide-range of career disciplines such as, public administration, ensuring food safety, investigating criminal activity, homeland security, providing emergency care, or developing science and technology or legal advice. Whatever your interests or skills, there is likely a career in government that might suit you.[v]

What Kind of Degree Do I Need for A Career in Government?

While there are many careers in government that do not require a college degree, there are others may require post-secondary education.[i] Furthermore, careers in government can be quite competitive, and in some cases, having more education or experience than a position requires may qualify applicants for a higher pay grade.[v]

  • The median weekly earning for full time workers in this industry is $660.76. [ii]
  • In addition to salary, government employees may receive student loan repayment, child care programs, transportation assistance and generous retirement benefits. Government jobs are also known for being very stable. [ii]
  • Going by 2014 annual median annual salary, The top paying jobs within this industry are Lawyers, Computer Specialists, Detectives & Investigators, and General & Operations Managers.
  • Employment in the federal government is expected to decline 1.6% each year from 2012-2022 while employment in state and local governments is expected to grow .5%. [iii]
  • The Three Agencies that employee the largest number of Federal Civilian Employees are: Department of Defense (34.5%), Homeland Security (16.3%) and Department of Veteran Affairs (16.3%)[vi]

Sources:
[i]  does.dc.gov | [ii] bls.gov/oes | [iii] bls.gov/opub | [v] bls.gov/careeroutlook | [vi] opm.gov

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