Making the most of salary tools for government employment means knowing where to access the most recent pay scales for various government positions. As with jobs in the private sector, salaries for government employees change each year and the formula used to calculate those changes can be rather complicated.

Most salary tools for government employees make educated guesses projecting likely future increases and allow you to compute those fluctuations based upon indicators used in the past. You can go one step further with salary tool software and get comparative analyses of government pay scales for certain positions over the past two or three decades. To find sources for government pay scales:

1. Check listings for federal government pay at websites known for keeping track of base pay scales over many years.

2. Find out what makes government salaries change from year to year and what are the current projections for next year's pay scale.

3. Buy government salary tools that provide in-depth comparative analyses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Access a federal pay scale

You'll need to access the most recently approved base pay scales for government workers. You can also find out salary ranges for various levels of federal government employees determined by Congress.

I recommend: Get the latest salary tables and pay scale adjustments for federal employees at the U.S. Office of Personal Management. You can also compare recent salary tables to those of previous years. Fed Jobs has been assisting those seeking careers in government for more than 30 years. Check its base pay scales for all locations in the contiguous United States. Read commentaries at Where Most Needed, which make telling comparisons between different levels of federal government salaries.

Know how the government pay scale changes over time and reliable indicators of those changes

If you're trying to understand the forces behind changes in government employment salary, check out online news agencies devoting themselves exclusively to monitoring those fluctuations from year to year.

I recommend: Gov Central stands out among online sources projecting increases in government pay scales. Read articles that explain the processes used in the past to determine future pay schedules. PayScale tracks the median salaries reported for government employees in various positions such as civil engineers, high school teachers, government attorneys and fire fighters.

Take advantage of government salary tools

If you're interested in knowing compensation benchmarks or finding out the differentials the influence pay scales for government employees in thousands of locations across the United States and Canada, you'll need to purchase government salary tools made by reputable software manufacturers.

I recommend: Salary Expert specializes in providing software that evaluates and compares compensation paid to government employees since the 1970's. Access surveys published by Educause Connect to learn more about salaries reported among higher education professionals. Search the database at Better Government Association to find information about spending habits of state and local governments.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some government salary tools track increases in the cost of living between different regions and give breakdowns by taxes, consumables and costs of housing and transportation.

A government salary must be competitive in order to keep valuable employees and recruit new staff. But what is a typical government salary? Government pay is generally based on the General Scale, or GS pay scale, which determines job and salary grades according to education level, experience level and location. Government salaries are evaluated each year, and most employees receive cost-of-living increases plus the opportunity to move up steps within a grade based on performance.

Before hiring new government employees, you should have an understanding of the GS scale and consider many factors including experience and job location. These tips will help:

1. Gain a solid understanding of the GS pay scale.

2. Search job boards for examples of current government salaries based on job description, location and experience level.

3. Consider benefits when evaluating a compensation package for government employees.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand the U.S. government pay scale

Government salaries really run the gamut due to several factors, including job type, experience level and location. Deciphering what a specific position is worth can be dizzying. Fortunately, there are a variety of salary tools for government employment available that are easy to use and typically provide current information on government pay.

I recommend: Download GS locality pay tables at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. PayScale provides a federal government salary chart plus lets you search for salaries based on job title, location and experience level. CBSalary.com has a Salary Calculator and a Cost of Living Comparison tool to help you assess government pay.

Compare government salaries on government job boards

You can research all day long and find plenty of hypotheticals, but sometimes real-life examples provide the best information. Check your local newspaper's classified section or search online job boards to find average government salary information from real job postings. Keep a log of your results for a few weeks to see if a pattern emerges.

I recommend: Search for real-time government jobs and federal government pay at USAJOBS, the official job site of the U.S. federal government. GOVJOBS.COM allows you to search for government jobs, and government salaries, not only by keyword and location, but also by exempt, non-exempt, full-time and part-time criteria.

Offer top-notch benefits to complement government salaries

Government employees typically have better benefits than their counterparts in the private sector, and each government agency is able to determine its own benefits package. Come up with a competitive package in combination with fair government pay, and be sure to tout its merits to current and prospective staff members.

I recommend: Review the various Federal Employees Health Benefit Program plans at the US Office of Personnel Management’s website. Segal offers public sector consulting to various levels of government to help agencies plan, design and implement the best benefits plans possible for employees.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're a small agency having a hard time matching the government salaries of larger agencies, offer more responsibility and room for growth to prospective employees. More impressive titles are another benefit.

With today's volatile private sector leaving some people feeling deserted, salary tools for government employment may be the perfect guide to help find a way to an oasis of a federal pay scale. Federal pay scales often offer regular increases based on length of service.

Consider all aspects of what salary tools can do for you:

1. Government pay is not limited to just the gross dollar amount on your pay check; it includes several benefits rarely seen in the private sector.

2. Government salaries will vary by government locality. Maybe you're thinking of moving to a neighboring State; find out whether your government employment salary will sustain you.

3. Once you find a government salary guide, you'll need to determine the job trends for the type of job are looking to land. Online news sources offer several opportunities to do this.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Discover all the benefits of a government salary

Before making a move to a federal government salary, consider all the perks. Flexible work schedules, child care and elder care resources, adoption information and incentives programs are some of the many variables to consider when looking at a position in government. Helpful websites will not only give you the skinny on your gross salary but your other benefits.

I recommend: Websites like USAJOBS can provide vast amounts of general benefit information as well specific job opportunities. USAJOBS is a government website and is free to use. Vault.com offers exclusive access to actual data collected from employers. A Vault.com Gold membership costs $119.95 per year if you pay for the entire year in one lump sum; it's $16.95 per month otherwise ($203.40 annually). Check for promotions where you can get a free membership for three months if you sign up for a trial membership with one of their partners.

Explore information about government locality pay and pay increases

As recently as 2006, 50 million Americans moved in one year. If you are considering relocation, think about the area which will be the most lucrative for you in your career.

I recommend: The U.S. Office of Personal Management is the government's Human Resources branch and its website contains a vast amount of free information about everything federal government related. America's Job Exchange offers personalized, specific reports on your current job and your possible future government job. It will cost $29.95 for a personalized salary report, but the user receives a 12-page report detailing everything from salary ranges to the impact of personal variables, such as education, on your salary. Users will also received monthly emails for a year containing salary data updates.

Decide on which government salary guide is right for you

Some sites offer a tiered membership where basic salary information is free, but you pay a one-time fee for a more detailed, personalized report. Popular news magazines and newspapers that deal specifically with business and the business of government can support your use of salary tools with offer up-to-date news on the latest government jobs and salaries.

I recommend: PayScale organizes online surveys of employees and provides data to its users. Users can also search and apply for jobs. Magazines like Forbes provide a great deal of business news. Sign up for customized RSS feeds that using keywords such as "government jobs salary" for the best results.