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Civil Servant Salary in the United States

How much does a Civil Servant make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Civil Servant in the United States is $78,052 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

However, a Civil Servant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $93,987
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,399 to $86,393
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,611
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Civil Servant Salaries

A Civil Servant's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Civil Servant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Civil Servant's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,646
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,062
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,259
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $120,197
  • Expert (over 8 years): $116,910
Levels Salary
Appraiser... Level Civil Servant$60,646
Civil Ser... Level Civil Servant$80,062
Appraiser... Level Civil Servant$97,259
Appraiser... Level Civil Servant$120,197
Appraisal... Level Civil Servant$116,910
View as Graph

How Do Civil Servant Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Civil Servants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $86,419.
  • California: $86,091.
  • Massachusetts: $84,943.

Top Paying Cities for Civil Servants

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $98,446
  • San Francisco: $97,368
  • Oakland: $95,316

What Skills Can Increase a Civil Servant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.73% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 2.3% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
  • Accounts Receivable (Mentioned in 1.33% Job Postings): Accounts receivable is a legally enforceable claim for payment held by a business for goods supplied and/or services rendered that customers/clients have ordered but not paid for. These are generally in the form of invoices raised by a business and delivered to the customer for payment within an agreed time frame. Accounts receivable is shown in a balance sheet as an asset. It is one of a series of accounting transactions dealing with the billing of a customer for goods and services that the customer has ordered. These may be distinguished from notes receivable, which are debts created through formal legal instruments called promissory notes.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 6.73%
Economics 2.3%
Accounts Receivable 1.33%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Civil Servant's salary.

  • Continuous Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Logistics: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Continuous Learning $90,540
16%
Logistics $89,759
15%
Consulting $88,198
13%
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Civil Servant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Civil Servant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Business Services and Insurance sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Civil Servant positions in Financial Services or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Civil Servant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Civil Servant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Business Services$93,662$45.020%
Insurance$93,662$45.020%

How Education impacts a Civil Servant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Civil Servants enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Civil Servant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $68,314 and $73,631).

Civil Servant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Civil Servant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 7.4%
High School 14.8%
Associates 18.5%
Bachelors 37.0%
Masters 22.2%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Civil Servant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Civil Servant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$68,399
Average $78,052/year
$86,393
$5,700
Average $6,504/month
$7,199
$1,315
Average $1,501/week
$1,661
$33
Average $38/hour
$42
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $86,393 $7,199 $1,661 $42
Average $78,052 $6,504 $1,501 $38
25th Percentile $68,399 $5,700 $1,315 $33

Most common benefits for Civil Servant

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Civil Servant

Here are companies hiring for Civil Servant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Civil Servant

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Civil Servant?

The Business Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Civil Servant roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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