In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Maryland earned $45.67 an hour against $33.31 in the private sector, a gap of +37%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $82.20 against $80.59 privately (+2%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Legal (+3%), Software and IT (+5%), and Engineering (+7%), and government pay holds up best in Protective service (+62%) and Admin and clerical (+26%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Maryland 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 | $45.67 | $33.31 | +37% | $82.20 | $80.59 | +2% |
| Admin and clerical | $32.54 | $25.79 | +26% | $64.47 | $50.06 | +29% |
| Education | $36.00 | $32.23 | +12% | $59.10 | $64.47 | -8% |
| Engineering | $64.47 | $60.17 | +7% | $92.09 | $102.42 | -10% |
| Finance | $53.70 | $46.56 | +15% | $80.59 | $97.03 | -17% |
| Healthcare | $48.16 | $44.01 | +9% | $119.27 | $102.50 | +16% |
| Legal | $66.37 | $64.47 | +3% | $96.70 | $262.61 | -63% |
| Management | $59.10 | $47.28 | +25% | $91.86 | $107.45 | -15% |
| Protective service | $42.98 | $26.59 | +62% | $72.53 | $59.10 | +23% |
| Skilled trades | $33.23 | $27.40 | +21% | $51.11 | $52.39 | -2% |
| Software and IT | $59.10 | $56.41 | +5% | $87.75 | $99.93 | -12% |
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.