This chart by Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow Veronique de Rugy compares changes in federal and private annual wages this decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2001 to 2009 average annual private pay grew by 24.9%, total government pay grew by 30.1%, and federal pay grew by 38.4%.  This pay growth compounded an existing pay differential; initially higher federal and total government annual pay rates grew faster than private pay rates this decade.

Veronique de Rugy examines the public-private pay gap.