Federal Job Satisfaction Calculator
How satisfied are you with your federal job?
Answer these 5 questions based on your experience. This calculator uses insights from the article about why federal employees leave their positions.
More than 120,000 federal employees left their jobs in 2024 alone. That’s not just a number-it’s a wave. People who spent decades in uniform, wearing badges, typing away in cubicles, or managing programs that touch millions of lives, are walking away. And it’s not because they found a better salary. It’s not because they got a shiny offer from a tech company. The reasons are deeper, quieter, and more personal than most people realize.
They’re Exhausted, Not Just Tired
People don’t leave federal jobs because they hate the work. They leave because the work never stops. The bureaucracy doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m. The emails keep coming. The approvals pile up. The audits never end. A 2023 survey by the Office of Personnel Management found that 68% of federal workers felt "chronically overwhelmed"-not just busy, but emotionally drained. One IRS agent in Ohio told me he worked 14-hour days during tax season for 18 years straight. No overtime pay. No extra leave. Just the same paycheck, year after year. That kind of grind doesn’t burn you out overnight. It chips away at you slowly, until one day you realize you haven’t taken a real vacation in five years.
Pay Doesn’t Match the Cost of Living
Yes, federal pay is stable. But stability doesn’t pay the rent in Denver, Seattle, or Washington, D.C. A GS-12 employee in D.C. makes about $95,000 a year. Sounds good, right? Until you factor in $3,200 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, $1,500 for childcare, and $800 for health insurance premiums. That leaves $2,000 for everything else-food, gas, car repairs, emergencies. Meanwhile, a software developer in the same city with five years less experience makes $140,000 and gets stock options. The federal pay scale hasn’t kept up with inflation in real terms since 2019. When you see your peers buying homes, taking family trips, or sending kids to college-and you’re still living paycheck to paycheck-you start wondering if the pension is really worth the sacrifice.
The Promotion System Feels Broken
Advancement in the federal system isn’t about performance. It’s about seniority, paperwork, and who you know. You can be the best analyst in your office, but if you don’t sit on the right committee or have a supervisor who likes your writing style, you stay stuck. A 2024 internal study from the Department of Health and Human Services found that 73% of employees who applied for a promotion in the past two years were passed over-even though their performance ratings were in the top 20%. One woman in the EPA told me she submitted her promotion packet five times over seven years. Each time, she was told she was "not quite ready." The sixth time, she didn’t apply. She quit and went to work for a nonprofit that pays less but lets her lead projects and make decisions.
Leadership Has Lost Trust
People don’t quit managers. They quit systems that let bad managers stay in power. Federal agencies are full of leaders who were promoted because they were good at following rules, not because they could lead people. I’ve talked to employees who’ve seen supervisors take credit for their work, ignore harassment complaints, or punish team members for speaking up. When you report a problem through official channels and get a form letter back saying "your concerns have been noted," you stop reporting. And when the people at the top are more focused on meeting quotas than supporting their teams, why would anyone stay?
The Work Feels Meaningless
Many people join federal jobs because they want to make a difference. They want to protect the environment, help veterans, or keep food safe. But over time, the system turns purpose into procedure. A wildlife officer I spoke with spent months documenting a single endangered species’ habitat-only to have the report buried because the funding was cut. A VA employee told me she processed 300 disability claims a week, each one a veteran’s life story, but the system forced her to check boxes instead of listening. When your daily work feels like spinning wheels in mud, you start asking: Is this why I went to college? Is this why I missed my kid’s recital? Is this really service?
They Found Something Better
It’s not always about leaving. Sometimes, it’s about finding. More federal workers are moving into state and local government roles, nonprofits, or even private-sector roles that still serve the public. A former USDA inspector now works for a food safety startup. A retired FBI analyst now trains cybersecurity teams at a community college. These aren’t just jobs-they’re roles where people feel heard, trusted, and empowered. And they often come with more flexibility, better leadership, and clearer paths to impact.
Remote Work Changed Everything
Before 2020, federal jobs were tied to offices. You had to be in the building. Now, many roles can be done from anywhere. That’s a game-changer. People in rural areas who used to commute two hours each way to a federal office now work from home in their hometowns. But here’s the catch: not all agencies let people keep that flexibility. Some have forced a return-to-office policy with no exceptions. For many, that’s the final straw. If you can work remotely for a private company with better pay and more autonomy, why stay in a federal job that demands your physical presence but doesn’t give you control over your time?
It’s Not Just About Money or Benefits
Yes, federal jobs offer pensions, health insurance, and job security. But those aren’t enough anymore. People are asking bigger questions: Do I feel respected? Do I have agency? Can I grow? Is my work meaningful? When the answers are no, the benefits don’t matter. The pension doesn’t heal burnout. The health plan doesn’t fix your sleep. The job security doesn’t bring back your joy.
What’s Left Behind
When federal workers leave, they don’t just take their skills. They take institutional memory. A seasoned auditor who knew how to spot fraud in a decade-old system is gone. A veteran caseworker who could calm a panicked veteran over the phone is gone. The replacements? Often new hires with little experience and no mentorship. The system gets slower. More errors. More frustration. And the cycle continues.
Is There a Way Back?
Some agencies are trying. The Department of Veterans Affairs launched a "Wellness and Retention Initiative" that lets employees choose their work hours and reduces mandatory reporting. The IRS now allows remote work for 80% of its staff. But these are exceptions. Real change needs systemic fixes: faster promotions, better leadership training, real pay raises, and respect for work-life boundaries. Until then, more people will leave-not because they don’t care, but because they care too much to keep giving their all to a system that doesn’t care back.
Why do federal employees leave for private sector jobs?
Federal employees often leave for private sector jobs because those roles offer faster promotions, higher pay, more flexibility, and leadership that rewards results-not just paperwork. Many find they can still serve the public-just in different ways, like working for nonprofits, contractors, or tech companies that partner with government agencies.
Do federal employees get paid less than private sector workers?
On average, federal workers earn slightly less than their private-sector counterparts in the same roles, especially in high-cost areas. A 2024 study from the Congressional Budget Office showed that GS-12 employees in Washington, D.C., make about 15% less than comparable private-sector professionals. The gap widens for tech, engineering, and cybersecurity roles.
Is the federal pension still worth staying for?
The federal pension (FERS) is still one of the best in the U.S., especially if you stay 20+ years. But for younger workers or those who leave before 15 years, the benefits are modest. Many now see it as a safety net, not a reason to stay. If you’re leaving before retirement age, the pension doesn’t offset the emotional and career costs of staying in a draining job.
Are federal jobs still secure?
Yes, federal jobs are still among the most secure in the U.S. Layoffs are rare. But security doesn’t mean satisfaction. Many employees feel trapped-stuck in roles they no longer enjoy because they fear the uncertainty of leaving. That’s a different kind of insecurity.
What’s the biggest myth about leaving federal jobs?
The biggest myth is that people leave because they’re lazy or don’t want to work. The truth? Most are overworked, underappreciated, and emotionally exhausted. They’re not running away-they’re running toward something that gives them back their energy, dignity, and sense of purpose.