As noted in an article published earlier based on salary data from FedsDataCenter.com, the number of federal employees making over $100,000 per year has increased in the past five years, but the trend in the last two years has been down instead of up.
Looking more closely at the data, the number of federal employees making more than $200,000 per year has gone up steadily over the past five years. In 2010, the total number was 10,538.
According to the most recent OPM data, in 2014, there were 16,805 federal employees making more than $200,000 per year. Note that the FedsDataCenter.com federal salary database does not include employees of the Department of Defense or agencies involved in national security as determined by OPM and other agencies.
Here are the statistics:
Total Employees | Fiscal Year | Percentage Change |
---|---|---|
10,538 | 2010 | N/A |
11,507 | 2011 | 9.2% |
13,023 | 2012 | 13.7% |
14,803 | 2013 | 13.67% |
16,805 | 2014 | 13.52% |
Percentage Change 2010-2014 | 59.47% |
Where are these high paying jobs? Most are in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Here are the top 20 agencies employing federal jobs paying more than $200,000 per year:
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION | 13,185 |
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION | 832 |
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION | 744 |
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH | 627 |
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION | 391 |
OFC OF COMPTROLLER OF CURRENCY | 382 |
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE | 213 |
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTN | 105 |
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY | 101 |
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION | 70 |
NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION | 35 |
OFC SEC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES | 17 |
FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION | 17 |
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE | 13 |
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY | 8 |
HEADQUARTERS, NASA | 7 |
FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION | 4 |
AGY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY | 4 |
One question asked by readers is this: “How can federal employees make more than the salary cap on a General Schedule employee?” Good question, and many employees in agencies that pay less than those in the list above may be wondering the same thing.
A number of agencies now pay much more than the salaries reflected in the General Schedule (GS) pay system, usually due to special implementing legislation for those agencies. Of course, the higher salaries may also impact an individual for many years after leaving federal service as their future retirement annuity is based on their pay as a federal employee. Getting a job in one of these higher paying federal agencies can provide a payoff that will benefit these fortunate individuals for decades. (Also see, Highly Paid Federal Administrative Positions: Where Are They and How Much Do They Make?)