Government

If you want to become a diplomat, a legislator, a social worker, an ambassador, or you seek a career in another government occupation, this page is for you.

In this section, you will find out career information about different government positions at local, state, and federal levels.

How to Become an Ambassador

Ambassadors are grouped into Senior Foreign Service employees and perform a variety of duties in order to keep relationships strong…

How to Become a County Assessor

County Assessors work on behalf of a local government assuring real estate property is classified in a correct manner. This…

How to Become a Diplomat

A Diplomat is a professional who is experienced in managing international relationships with representatives and ambassadors from other nations. Their…

How to Become an Emergency Dispatcher

An emergency dispatcher receives calls to emergency phone lines, such as 911, from people in a crisis, and then dispatches…

How to Become a Legislator

Legislators are elected or appointed officials that work with other government officials in order to develop Federal, State or local…

How to Become a Politician

A politician has the power to make their community, their country, and even the world a better place. The policies…

How to Become a Postal Worker

Postal Workers are professionals who work for the federal government managing and delivering a variety of packages and mail. There…

How to Become a Social Worker

A social worker’s job is to promote the welfare of those in need, and to instigate social change that benefits…

How to Become a Tax Examiner

Tax examiners have an important job in the tax industry; they make sure all filed tax returns and paperwork have…

How to Become an Urban Planner

Urban Planners specialize in planning for a projected population occurring in cities, suburbs or rural areas. This job is extremely…

Work Environment

This section includes workers that work for federal, state, or local governments.

If you want to become a member of Congress or you’re seeking another career in politics, then you will need to campaign and be elected.

This category also includes firefighters, social workers, tax advisors, urban and regional planners, professions that require specialized training.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, firefighters held about 317,200 jobs in 2020, approximately 89 percent working for the local government.

Firefighters have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, and they must wear protective gear.

Most urban planners work for local government, but positions may also occur in architectural services, management services, or the federal government.

This section also includes legislators, consultants, and other politics-related jobs that exist at all levels of the government.

There are three branches of the federal government:

The legislative branch- is responsible for making laws and levying taxes that fund the government services.

This branch includes Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Because legislators have many different responsibilities, regardless of the government level, they need assistants to help them fulfill the job description.

Staff members research proposed bills, write questions, and they may also be responsible for drafting new bills and tracking the progress of proposed bills throughout the enactment process.

The Capitol Police, the Government Accountability Office, and other agencies that support Congress are also part of the legislative branch.

The federal judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws and how they are applied.

It includes the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, Tax Court, and other lower courts and special courts, as well as the Federal Judiciary Center, and other support organizations.

The executive branch is responsible for enforcing laws.

It includes the President, the 15 executive departments, and related agencies within the department.

As of May 2013, the federal government employs 2 million civilian workers, according to a report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Career Path and Education Requirements

This section includes a variety of career paths, and the education requirements vary widely depending on the position, the associated risks, and the responsibilities.

Government workers need anywhere between less than one month to more than four years of post-secondary education.

Some positions require a master’s degree that can be earned after approximately six years of post-secondary education.

Specific government professions require specialized intensive training and good physical skills.

One of the careers with the highest level of risk in this category is the firefighter profession.

Applicants for firefighter jobs typically must be over 18 years of age.

Prospective firefighters need a high school diploma and training in emergency services.

A passing score at written and physical tests is another requirement, along with fire academy training.

Fire academy recruits learn fire-prevention techniques, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures.

Firefighters are also required to pass a medical exam and drug screening to be hired, and they may be subjected to random drug tests and asked to complete routine physical fitness assessments.

Postal workers are required to pass a written exam that covers address cross-comparison, forms completion, memory and coding, and personal characteristics and experience.

You need to be at least 18 to be a postal service mail carrier or at least 16 if you have a high school diploma.

Newly hired postal service workers receive short-term on-the-job training, and they may work alongside an experienced carrier to learn the mail route.

There are also government positions that require a bachelor’s degree.

For example, if you want to become a tax examiner, you will need a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.

Some positions may also be available for those who have a combination of education and work experience in accounting, tax compliance, and auditing.

Advancement opportunities are also available for government workers.

For example, tax examiners who review tax returns submitted by individuals may advance to a revenue agent job- a position that gives them the opportunity of working with more complex business returns.

Urban and regional planners typically need a master’s degree in architecture, economics, geography, political science, or a related field.

Those who have only a bachelor’s degree may qualify for an assistant position.

Entry-level positions may require around 1-2 years of experience in architecture, public policy, or a related field.

New Jersey is the only state that requires urban and regional planners to have a license.

Salary Information

Median annual salaries for government workers vary between less than $50,000 and more than $120,000 depending on experience, positions, training, and many other factors.

The median annual wage reported by those who worked for state governments, including schools and hospitals, was $65,230 in May of 2020.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provided information about the salaries reported by federal government employees in 2013.

Administrative workers reported a median annual salary of $85,343, while clerical workers made $37,724.

Salaries for government employees, in general, vary widely depending on the occupation.

Employees in management positions were remunerated with $108,140 per year, while workers in educational institutions and library occupations were remunerated with $60,720, on average.

Health support occupations were among the government positions that reported the lowest salary levels.

The median annual wage reported by government workers in the field of health support was $36,950.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported by firefighters was $52,500 as of May 2020.

Wages are ranging between less than $30,000 and more than $90,000, depending on the state of employment, experience level, and many other factors.

Firefighters who worked for state governments earned slightly more than those who worked for the federal or local governments.

The median annual wage by firefighters hired by state governments was $56,340, while the median reported by those who worked by local governments was $53,360.

Salaries for government workers are influenced by the state and the level of government funding as well.

The top-paying states for firefighters were New Jersey and California where they were remunerated with $86,880 and $86,860, respectively, according to BLS.

Firefighters in Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Kentucky, on the other hand, reportedly earned less than $35,000 per year, on average.

The median annual wage was $51,150 for postal service workers.

The lowest 10 percent of workers in the postal service field reportedly made less than $37,760 while the highest 10 percent made more than $65,040.

Tax examiners who worked for the federal government earned $59,230 per year, on average, while those who were hired by a local government made $46,980.

Higher median wages were reported by urban and regional planners- profession remunerated with $75,950 per year, on average.

Planners who worked for local governments earned $77,790 per year, on average, while those who worked for the federal executive branch made $102,960.

Job Outlook

Job prospects for government workers vary depending on the state of employment, the local economy, and the level of government spending.

According to BLS, employment for firefighters will grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

This will translate into approximately 27,000 openings each year over the decade.

The more impressive growth is estimated for social workers, a profession that will grow 12 percent by 2030.

Job opportunities also vary depending on the social worker’s specialization.

Employment for social workers who specialize in working with children and families is projected to grow 13 percent.

Social workers who specialize in family issues will be needed to prevent child abuse and to identify alternative homes for children who are not able to live with their biological families.

As more people seek treatment for mental illnesses and substance abuse, the employment for mental health and substance abuse social workers will grow 15 percent over the decade.

The urban and regional planner profession is also projected to grow in the future.

This profession will grow 7 percent, and 3,700 new openings are projected to appear each year.

New urban planners will be needed to address issues related to resource scarcity, population growth, and similar.

Additional jobs may also stem from the need to develop and improve infrastructure in certain communities.

There are also government jobs that will decline in the future.

Overall employment for postal service workers is expected to decline 9 percent.

This situation is caused, in part, by the decline in First-Class Mail volume, which will be replaced by automated and electronic bill pay and email.

New mail sorting technology that can read a text and automatically sort, forward, and process mail will likely replace postal workers.

Another profession that is projected to decline in the future is tax examiner.

The demand for tax examiners and collectors and revenue agents is expected to decline 4 percent by 2030, mostly due to budget restrictions.