Check out this article from the Wall Street Journal comparing government pay with jobs in the private sector.

The Government Pay Bonus - Andrew Biggs and Jason Richwine, Wall Street Journal

"Worker compensation is hardly the largest driver of current and future federal deficits. The biggest threat comes from the rising entitlement benefits of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Nevertheless, if Washington demands "painful sacrifices" to make these programs solvent, as the slogan goes, it must first re-establish its credibility. Giving federal workers salaries, benefits and terms of employment comparable to those received by private workers would be a good start."