By comparison, private workers made $61,051 in total compensation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, tells USA TODAY the data are not useful in a direct public to private pay comparison.
Public union employees say the gap reflects the growing skill and education levels needed for most federal jobs, while the government farms out lower paid jobs to the private sector.
A budget analyst at the Cato Institute believes federal workers are overpaid.
What are your thoughts? Do you think federal workers are overpaid? If so, why? Post a comment on the left or leave a comment on Worth Reading's Facebook page.