G. David Felt

The point is that for the level of work and when one adds in danger, the pay should represent the quality of the job and I have no Idea where you got your median income as MAYBE in some southern un-educated state like Kentucky you get that median income, but not here in Washington State and as @surreal1272 pointed out not in DC. Median Household Income By State 2021 (worldpopulationreview.com) Washington State is 8th in the nation for income at almost $77K a year to live here. Heck even your own state of New Jersey is almost $86K a year. As @Robert Hall pointed out, $44K to $75K is a starting wage depending on job, skill and education needed. I see Union Plumbers and Electrician Apprentices start here at $45K a year in Washington state and once they finish their 4 year apprentice, they are earning on average $85K a year. Again hard to have the best and brightest in DC especially the Secret Service when the pay is low and based on the stories I posted about the Secret Service, quality of life sucks as do the marriages with one of the highest divorce rates in the government sector.