Title
The 'Overpaid Bureaucrat': Comparing Public and Private Wages in Mississippi
Abstract
Compensation of public employees is a contentious issue for politicians and the general public in the United States. However, there is little empirical evidence in the literature to address claims that public servants are over-paid compared to their private sector counterparts. This research compares salaries of private sector, state, and municipal workers in Mississippi. A central hypothesis in this study is that municipal pay levels will be more competitive in core governmental functions. A second is that large municipalities will have more core functions and therefore be competitive across a broader range of job categories. This research indicates that municipal and state workers are indeed underpaid in certain occupations, but salaries are competitive in some occupational fields. However, only large cities appear to be more competitive with wages in their core functions.
Department(s)
Political Science
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/009102600002900110
Publication Date
2000
Recommended Citation
Kaatz, James B., and John C. Morris. "The 'Overpaid Bureaucrat' Comparing Public and Private Wages in Mississippi." Public Personnel Management 29, no. 1 (2000): 129-146.
Journal Title
Public Personnel Management
