Are public employees overpaid?
Wisconsin conservatives say public employees are breaking the bank with their bloated compensation. No, counter liberals: If anything, these staffers are underpaid

At the core of Wisconsin's budget showdown is Republican Governor Scott Walker's argument that public employees are handsomely overcompensated, and that reining in their benefits is key to erasing budget shortfalls. Liberals point to studies that show public workers are, in fact, paid less than their peers in the private sector, and argue this GOP crackdown on unions is about power, not money. Who's right? (See Scott Walker's fireside chat)
Wisconsin's public workers are underpaid: Have you ever heard of anyone joining the public sector to get rich? asks Matt Steinglass in The Economist. I haven't. And according to a new study by the Economic Policy Institute, public employees in Wisconsin are no different. Compared to private-sector workers with similar education and experience, "they're paid less."
"Don't join the government to get rich"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Wages aren't the issue — "pension obesity" is: It's not hard to find examples of "how good life is for those who once worked for the city, the state, or any one of several public agencies," says Richard Cohen in The Washington Post. Take the NYC fire department official with a $242,000 annual pension, or the California cops who retire before age 50. No wonder there's a "feeling of disgust" for civil servants: "Some of them retire on larger stipends than the average American makes in salary."
"Government pensions, an obesity epidemic"
Why nickel-and-dime civil servants? In Wisconsin, at least, public servants earn 5 percent less than their private sector counterparts, even when you include benefits, says Alex Knapp in Outside the Beltway. But "I don't see the point of comparing private vs. public sector compensation." You get what you pay for: Better-paid workers mean a "more-efficient government," while "underpaying public servants is a one-way ticket to a system of more bribery and corruption."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published