State Workers with College Degrees get Paid Less than Private Sector

Connecticut state workers with college degrees get paid less than private sector workers in the state with college degrees. It may seem surprising considering all the attention recently about state employee compensation, but that’s one of the findings according to an analysis performed for the New York Times by demographers at Queens College of the City University of New York. And it’s not unique to Connecticut.

The demographers found a divide based on education when it came to public vs. private sector workers. Natiowide, for those without a college degree, workers in the public sector made 6.3% more. (In Connecticut, it's $51,258 vs. $40,000.) However, nationwide for those with a college degree, workers in the private sector made 19.9% more. (In Connecticut, it's $67,000 vs. $75,805.)