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Federal Hiring Series
Decline in Federal Hiring
Federal Hiring Slows as the Post-Pandemic Job Surge Fizzles Out
Monthly counts of job postings in USAJobs, January 2019 to September 2024
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
MAR
2019
2020
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
2021
2022
2023
2024
50,000
45,000 jobs were posted in March 2023.
In 2019, an average of 28,700 jobs were posted each month.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
Federal Hiring Slows as the Post-Pandemic Job Surge Fizzles Out
Monthly counts of job postings in USAJobs, January 2019 to September 2024
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
MAR
2019
2020
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
50,000
2021
2022
2023
2024
45,000 jobs were posted in March 2023.
In 2019, an average of 28,700 jobs were posted each month.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
- Between January 2019 and September 2024, a total of 2,189,768 positions were posted on USAJobs.
- Hiring typically peaks in March each year, midway through the government fiscal year, as agencies reassess staffing needs and align with budget cycles.
- Federal hiring rebounded sharply in 2023 after a pandemic-driven contraction but began cooling again in 2024, dropping from 447,423 jobs posted last year to 274,774 between January and September of this year.
- This fluctuation was largely driven by shifts in the Department of Veterans Affairs, which hired tens of thousands of new staff to address veteran healthcare in 2023 but later slashed positions due to budgetary shortfalls.
- Workforce reductions in the government are predicted to continue into the new fiscal year, following uncertainty surrounding the new government handover.
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Remote Jobs
After Two Years of Decline, Federal Remote Jobs are On the Rise Again
Percentage of posted jobs allowing for telework or remote work, January 2019 to September 2024
10%
20%
30%
40%
5%
0%
15%
25%
35%
MAR
2019
2020
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
2021
2022
2023
2024
The Office of Personnel Management updates their remote work policies for the first time in a decade
President Biden declares the end of the Covid-19 national emergency
~17% of posted jobs were remote or flexible prior to the pandemic.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
After Two Years of Decline, Federal Remote Jobs are On the Rise Again
Percentage of posted jobs allowing for telework or remote work, January 2019 to September 2024
10%
20%
30%
40%
5%
0%
15%
25%
35%
MAR
2019
2020
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
MAR
SEP
2021
2022
2023
2024
The Office of Personnel Management updates their remote work policies for the first time in a decade
President Biden declares the end of the Covid-19 national emergency
~17% of posted jobs were remote or flexible prior to the pandemic.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
- Remote work includes fully work-from-home positions, where employees can work from anywhere in the country, and telework (hybrid) roles, where employees must be based at the agency's worksite while working remotely on some days.
- Less than 20% of posted jobs had flexible remote policies prior to the pandemic, as most federal positions required employees to work on-site.
- Nearly 40% of new jobs posted in the winter of 2021 were marked as eligible for remote work or telework, following a policy update by the Office of Personnel Management that clarified workplace flexibilities for the first time since 2011.
- Pressure from Congress has led the Biden administration to scale back remote work for federal employees in recent years, prioritizing a return to the office.
- However, a report released by the Office of Management and Budget in August 2024 revealed that agencies reported higher employee engagement, job satisfaction, retention rates, performance levels, and a more diverse talent pool under remote and flexible work arrangements, signaling a strong case for maintaining telework in the government.
Data Science Salaries
New Government Data Science Roles Offer Competitive Salaries
Average min. and max. salaries for Data Science Series (OCC code 1560) job postings, 2023
Average max. salary
Average min. salary
Department of:
Commerce
Transportation
Labor
Defense
Agriculture
Health and Human Services
Homeland Security
Veterans Affairs
Treasury
State
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
160,000
170,000
The median salary for data scientists across all sectors was $108,020 (Source: BLS)
$157.8K
$168.8K
$121.4K
$107.5K
$107K
$104.3K
$141.7K
$143.1K
$100.5K
$100.2K
$142.5K
$150.5K
$99.1K
$150.5K
$96.7K
$90.1K
$142.8K
$89.9K
$143.3K
$151K
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
New Government Data Science Roles Offer Competitive Salaries
Average min. and max. salaries for Data Science Series (OCC code 1560) job postings, 2023
Commerce
Transportation
Labor
Defense
Agriculture
Health and Human Services
Homeland Security
Veterans Affairs
Treasury
State
Average max. salary
Average min. salary
Department of:
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
160,000
170,000
The median salary for data scientists across all sectors was $108,020 (Source:BLS)
$157.8K
$168.8K
$121.4K
$107.5K
$107K
$104.3K
$141.7K
$143.1K
$100.5K
$100.2K
$142.5K
$150.5K
$99.1K
$150.5K
$96.7K
$90.1K
$142.8K
$89.9K
$143.3K
$151K
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
- After decades of being grouped under the 'Mathematical Sciences' series, the Office of Personnel Management officially classified Data Science as a distinct job series in December 2021.
- Under this series, data science work is broadly defined as "applying advanced quantitative, computer science, mathematical, and statistical skills to interpret extremely large and unstructured data sets and asking questions regarding the unknown."
- Data scientists are required to have college-level education or higher, along with continuous extensive training, in fields such as algorithms, artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics, data analytics, statistics, or natural language processing.
- In 2023, data scientist roles posted by the Department of State commanded the highest salary range compared to other departments, with salaries between $120,000 and $160,000. In contrast, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce offered the lowest salary ranges, ranging from $90,000 to around $140,000.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for data scientists across both private and public sectors in 2023 was $108,020, making federal salaries competitive in comparison to the broader market.
Jobs Open to the Public
Less than 30% of Federal Jobs Posted in 2024 Were Open to the Public with No Other Preferred Hiring Paths
Total number of job postings with 'The public' as a hiring path, January to October 2024.
TOTAL JOBS
310,039
MULTIPLE HIRING PATHS: INCLUDES THE PUBLIC
127,403 (41%)
SINGLE HIRING PATH: THE PUBLIC
83,740 (27%)
In federal hiring, hiring paths are specific eligibility categories that indicate who can apply for certain government jobs, such as 'Veterans' or 'Students'. Positions that are "Open to the public" are open to all U.S. citizens and are accessible to anyone who meets the basic job qualifications.
27% of jobs posted had "The public" as the only hiring path, meaning all applicants compete equally without an advantage based on their background.
41% of all jobs posted had "The public" as one of its hiring paths. Each hiring path may receive a different level of preference in the hiring process.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
Less than 30% of Federal Jobs Posted in 2024 Were Open to the Public with No Other Preferred Hiring Paths
In federal hiring, hiring paths are specific eligibility categories that indicate who can apply for certain government jobs, such as 'Veterans' or 'Students'. Positions that are "Open to the public" are open to all U.S. citizens and are accessible to anyone who meets the basic job qualifications.
Total number of job postings with 'The public' as a hiring path, January to October 2024.
TOTAL JOBS
310,039
MULTIPLE HIRING PATHS: INCLUDES THE PUBLIC
127,403 (41%)
SINGLE HIRING PATH: THE PUBLIC
83,740 (27%)
27% of jobs posted had "The public" as the only hiring path, meaning all applicants compete equally without an advantage based on their background.
41% of all jobs posted had "The public" as one of its hiring paths. Each hiring path may receive a different level of preference in the hiring process.
DATA SOURCE: USAJOBS
- Hiring paths refer to specific eligibility categories that prioritize or grant preference to individuals based on their background, status, or qualifications when applying for federal jobs.
- Different hiring paths are designed to make sure certain groups - like veterans or students - have access to job opportunities that match their qualifications.
- The "Open to the public" category represents the broadest hiring path, where U.S. citizens, nationals, and individuals who owe allegiance to the U.S. are automatically eligible. Non-citizens may also be eligible for specific positions depending on the job requirements.
- From January to October 2024, less than 50% of new federal jobs were open to the public and may have had other hiring paths that offered higher preference or eligibility.
- Of the 310,000 new jobs, only 27% had "the public" as their only hiring path, meaning all applicants were evaluated equally for positions without any hiring advantage.
- See here for the complete list of hiring paths and their descriptions.
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