In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Hawaii earned $32.80 an hour against $29.55 in the private sector, a gap of +11%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $60.17 against $65.51 privately (-8%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Admin and clerical (+11%), and government pay holds up best in Admin and clerical (+11%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Hawaii by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $32.80 | $29.55 | +11% | $60.17 | $65.51 | -8% |
| Admin and clerical | $26.86 | $24.15 | +11% | $53.72 | $42.30 | +27% |
| Education * | $32.51 | $25.97 | +25% | $55.48 | $44.67 | +24% |
| Engineering * | $53.72 | $42.98 | +25% | $68.88 | $79.45 | -13% |
| Finance * | $38.64 | $37.61 | +3% | $52.39 | $63.29 | -17% |
| Healthcare * | $48.02 | $53.72 | -11% | $82.71 | $112.63 | -27% |
| Legal * | $38.46 | $47.21 | -19% | $71.36 | $97.30 | -27% |
| Management * | $50.87 | $38.68 | +32% | $97.52 | $80.59 | +21% |
| Protective service * | $32.24 | $22.13 | +46% | $58.10 | $32.23 | +80% |
| Skilled trades * | $32.23 | $31.08 | +4% | $53.74 | $53.72 | 0% |
| Software and IT * | $49.39 | $49.93 | -1% | $72.22 | $83.20 | -13% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.