The Growing Federal Workforce

Steve Barr highlights some new data today on federal employment, issued by the Office of Personnel Management. The high points:

Overall federal employment increased during the 2002-2004 period, by 38,302 workers, to bring the total number of executive branch employees to 1.85 million.

In 2004, according to OPM, the "typical fed" was 46.8 years old, had served in government for 16.5 years, held a white-collar job under the General Schedule pay system and earned $59,238. (This year, the average GS salary was $63,125, and $80,425 in the Washington area.)

So much for the end of big government. Oh, I forgot, Defense and Homeland Security don't count.