The people who keep government running every day, from city managers and federal buyers to the DMV and 311.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
City Manager: The professional CEO of a city, hired by the council to run all departments day to day. Typical pay $150k.
County Administrator: Runs the daily operations of a county government for the elected commissioners. Typical pay $140k.
Federal Senior Executive: A top career leader in a federal agency, managing large programs and thousands of employees. Typical pay $195k.
Federal Contracting Officer: Buys everything the government needs, from paper clips to fighter jets, with legal authority to sign contracts. Typical pay $110k.
Government Digital Service Engineer: A tech worker who builds better government websites and apps, like online passport renewal or benefit sign-ups. Typical pay $140k.
Federal Program Manager: Manages a government program, like school lunches or a space project, keeping it on budget and on track. Typical pay $120k.
Government Chief Data Officer: Leads how a city, state, or federal agency collects, shares, and uses data to make better decisions. Typical pay $165k.
Inspector General: The independent watchdog of a government agency or city, leading investigations into fraud, waste, and abuse. Typical pay $190k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Government Management Analyst: Studies how a government office works and recommends ways to make it faster, cheaper, or better. Typical pay $101k.
Presidential Management Fellow: A prestigious 2-year federal leadership program for people finishing graduate school. Typical pay $80k.
Government HR Specialist: Hires, trains, and supports government employees, following civil service rules. Typical pay $72k.
Government Grants Manager: Manages the money government gives to cities, schools, and nonprofits through grants. Typical pay $80k.
Public Information Officer: Shares news from a government agency with the public and media, especially during emergencies. Typical pay $70k.
FOIA Officer: Handles public requests for government records and decides what can be released. Typical pay $85k.
Government Ombudsman: An independent official who investigates public complaints about government agencies. Typical pay $80k.
Municipal Clerk: Keeps a town's official records, runs council meetings' paperwork, and often runs local elections. Typical pay $62k.
Social Security Claims Specialist: Helps people apply for retirement, disability, and survivor benefits from Social Security. Typical pay $68k.
Postmaster: Runs a local post office or a group of them, managing carriers, clerks, budgets, and customer service. Typical pay $95k.
Postal Mail Carrier: Delivers mail and packages to homes and businesses on foot or in a postal truck, six days a week in all weather. Typical pay $61k.
Postal Service Clerk: Works the counter at the post office selling stamps, shipping packages, handling passport applications, and sorting mail. Typical pay $62k.
Mail Processing Clerk: Runs and feeds the giant machines in postal processing plants that sort millions of letters and packages every night. Typical pay $58k.
Immigration Services Officer: Reviews applications for green cards, citizenship, and visas for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and interviews applicants. Typical pay $85k.
Government Service Designer: Redesigns government websites, forms, and services so ordinary people can actually use them. Typical pay $105k.
Federal Register Editor: Edits and publishes the government's daily newspaper of new rules, presidential orders, and public notices that carry the force of law. Typical pay $90k.
Deputy Public Administrator: A county official who takes charge when someone dies with no will and no family to handle things, then finds their assets and settles the estate. Typical pay $70k.
Vital Records Clerk: Records and issues birth certificates, death certificates, and other official life-event records. Typical pay $42k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.