Civil servants are employees who work for the local, state and federal government, to serve the citizens of the United States. They number 9.9 million and earn a mean $24.62 per hour or $51,220 per year. The positions not only involve elected officials but everyday jobs such as dishwashers at the congressional cafeteria, to managers of departments. One way of classifying these millions of positions is by their size and highest and lowest salaries.

Largest Group

The civil servant group with most number of jobs is protective service with over 1.9 million positions, earning a mean $24.53 or $51,010 per year, which is close to the civil servant mean. The highest paid individual job in this group belongs to supervisors of police and detectives, because of their responsibility over the protection of lives and property. They make $37.90 per hour or $78,820 per year. The lowest paid jobs belong to lifeguards, ski patrol and recreational protective service, where pay is at $10.49 per hour or $21,830 per year. These positions require little educational investment beyond on-the-job training, and depend on instant decision-making and physical abilities.

Highest Paid Group

The highest paid group of civil servants is management, earning a mean $40.14 per hour or $83,500 per year, which is far higher than the civil servant mean wages. Their high salaries stem from their ultimate responsibility over the welfare of their organizations and departments. The highest paid individual jobs of this group go to engineering managers, who must be able to coordinate complex technical and scientific issues. They make $52.76 per hour or $109,740. Chief executives, who may often be the sole decision makers at the top of an organization, follow them. They earn $49.80 per hour or $103,580 per year. The lowest paid jobs belong to legislators, who are the elected lawmakers. They receive $37,530 per year. No hourly rates are listed because of their highly irregular work schedules.

Highest Paid Jobs

The highest paid individual job for civil servants belongs to obstetricians and gynecologists, who specialize in women’s health issues. They make a mean $91.90 per hour or $191,150 per year. They are part of the healthcare practitioner group, which earns a mean $31.80 per hour or $66,140 per year, which is higher than the civil servant mean. Other high-paying jobs in this group are psychiatrists, who treat mental disorders with therapy and medicine, and earn $88.45 per hour or $183,970 per year; and pediatricians, who specialize in children, and earn #83.33 per hour or $173,320 per year. The lowest paid jobs belong to dietetic technologists, who get $14.26 per hour or $29,650 per year. They help dietitians plan menus and supervise meal preparation.

Lowest Paid Group

The lowest paid occupational group of civil servants is food preparation and serving, with wages at $12.76 per hour or $26,550 per year, which is nearly half of the civil servant mean. The lowest paying individual jobs belong to dining room attendants and bartender helpers, who make $9.24 per hour or $19,220 per year. They are followed by dishwashers, who earn $9.42 per hour or $19,600 per year, follow them closely. Both professions require no educational background and minimal on-the-job training. The highest paid jobs for this group belong to chefs and head cooks, who are responsible not only for planning and preparing meals but also for supervising their kitchens. They receive $27.20 per hour or $56,570 per year.