Can Federal IT Salaries Compete?

Some recent surveys highlighted earlier this week painted federal IT workers as earning competitive salaries when compared with the private sector. But for entry-level IT workers, that may not be the case. A new study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that employers are planning to hire more computer science graduates this year at an average starting salary of $63,000.

NACE's Spring 2011 Job Outlook Update found that the 2011 class of computer science grads have much better prospects than graduates did the year before. For example, the number of projected entry-level hires for 2011 is up 18.4 percent over 2010, making computer science careers among the best bets for 2011 graduates, the survey found.

Average starting salaries for computer science grads also stand at $63,017, NACE found. Federal salaries for new college graduates are much lower, with General Schedule Grade 7 pay in the Washington area coming in at $42,209.

The government sector also has the bleakest outlook when it comes to hiring projections. Of the eight government respondents to the survey, six expect to cut their hiring numbers, the study found.

Meanwhile, technical skills were considered by employers surveyed as critical for new college hires. For example, employers rated technical knowledge and proficiency with computer software programs as very important. The most valued skills by employers were verbal communication and the ability to make decisions and solve problems.