U.S. government employment rose 2.0 percent year over year through May. Turnover rates and compensation costs shape budgets across multiple countries at the same time. Data on teacher employment, digital service use, and related metrics connect staffing levels to the systems that deliver public services.
Key Takeaways
- 2.0% year-over-year growth in U.S. government employment (federal, state, and local) in May 2024
- 3.1 million people were employed as teachers in the U.S. in 2023 (public and private combined)
- 3.2% of the labor force in Canada worked in public administration in 2023
- UK civil service attrition rate was 5.9% in 2023 (Cabinet Office annual civil service workforce data)
- U.S. government job openings were 149,000 in Q1 2024 (BLS JOLTS for government)
- U.S. state and local government quit rate was 1.9% in 2023 (BLS JOLTS quits rate)
- 56% of OECD public servants reported that they have participated in training in the last 12 months (public management survey, 2019–2021 pooled)
- $1.5 trillion in total government compensation and benefits (federal-state-local combined) in the U.S. in 2023 (national accounts compensation aggregate)
- $1.0 trillion UK public sector net expenditure for staff costs proxy in 2023–24 (HM Treasury/ONS public finance staff costs line)
- Payroll and employee costs were €390 billion for the EU general government sector in 2022 (Eurostat general government accounts, COFOG/National accounts staff costs component)
- UK public sector debt interest costs were £53.7 billion in 2023–24 (ONS public sector finances interest line)
- U.S. state governments reduced workforce spending growth to 0.6% in 2023 after pandemic-era increases (National Association of State Budget Officers analysis)
- Public sector productivity in OECD countries improved by 1.2% annually over 2007–2019 in selected service areas (OECD productivity framework estimate)
- Digital government services adoption: 88% of EU citizens used at least one online public service in 2023 (Eurostat 'Individuals who used the internet for interacting with public authorities')
- The EU’s eGovernment benchmark: 78% of key public services for citizens and businesses were available fully online in 2023 (DESI/eGovernment benchmark)
Across countries, public workforces grew modestly but pay, staffing costs, and digital services adoption remain key pressures.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment Levels3 stats
01
2.0% year-over-year growth in U.S. government employment (federal, state, and local) in May 2024
02
3.1 million people were employed as teachers in the U.S. in 2023 (public and private combined)
03
3.2% of the labor force in Canada worked in public administration in 2023
Interpretation
Employment Levels Interpretation
Within the Employment Levels category, public sector work is still expanding, with U.S. government employment up 2.0% year over year in May 2024, while teaching alone employs 3.1 million people in 2023 and Canada’s public administration accounts for 3.2% of the labor force in 2023.
02 · Category
Hiring To Turnover4 stats
01
UK civil service attrition rate was 5.9% in 2023 (Cabinet Office annual civil service workforce data)
02
U.S. government job openings were 149,000 in Q1 2024 (BLS JOLTS for government)
03
U.S. state and local government quit rate was 1.9% in 2023 (BLS JOLTS quits rate)
04
In OECD countries, average public servant turnover was 9.6% in 2020 (OECD public employment management indicators)
Interpretation
Hiring To Turnover Interpretation
Across countries, “Hiring to Turnover” is under pressure as attrition and churn stay high, with the UK civil service at 5.9% in 2023, OECD public servant turnover averaging 9.6% in 2020, and the US showing ongoing replacement needs through 149,000 government job openings in Q1 2024 and a 1.9% state and local quit rate in 2023.
03 · Category
Workforce Skills1 stats
01
56% of OECD public servants reported that they have participated in training in the last 12 months (public management survey, 2019–2021 pooled)
Interpretation
Workforce Skills Interpretation
In the workforce skills domain, OECD data show that 56% of public servants participated in training over the past 12 months, indicating that just over half of the public sector is actively building skills through recent learning.
More related reading
04 · Category
Compensation And Budgets5 stats
01
$1.5 trillion in total government compensation and benefits (federal-state-local combined) in the U.S. in 2023 (national accounts compensation aggregate)
02
$1.0 trillion UK public sector net expenditure for staff costs proxy in 2023–24 (HM Treasury/ONS public finance staff costs line)
03
Payroll and employee costs were €390 billion for the EU general government sector in 2022 (Eurostat general government accounts, COFOG/National accounts staff costs component)
04
Total U.S. government compensation costs increased 4.2% from 2022 to 2023 (BEA compensation series)
05
Public sector pay in Ireland increased by 3.5% in 2023 (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP/payout info)
Interpretation
Compensation And Budgets Interpretation
Across countries, public sector compensation and budget pressure is rising, with US total government compensation and benefits hitting $1.5 trillion in 2023 and increasing 4.2% from 2022 to 2023 alongside higher staff cost figures in the UK and Ireland.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis5 stats
01
UK public sector debt interest costs were £53.7 billion in 2023–24 (ONS public sector finances interest line)
02
U.S. state governments reduced workforce spending growth to 0.6% in 2023 after pandemic-era increases (National Association of State Budget Officers analysis)
03
Public sector productivity in OECD countries improved by 1.2% annually over 2007–2019 in selected service areas (OECD productivity framework estimate)
04
Government ICT spending reached $1.2 trillion globally in 2023 (Gartner public sector IT spending estimate)
05
France public sector wage spending accounted for 1.8% of GDP in 2022 (OECD Government at a Glance / national accounts)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures in the public sector are mounting and varied across countries, from the UK’s £53.7 billion debt interest bill in 2023 to global government ICT spending of $1.2 trillion in 2023 and France’s public wage costs at 1.8% of GDP in 2022, even as some places improve productivity by 1.2% annually and slow workforce spending growth to 0.6%.
06 · Category
Digital Delivery7 stats
01
Digital government services adoption: 88% of EU citizens used at least one online public service in 2023 (Eurostat 'Individuals who used the internet for interacting with public authorities')
02
The EU’s eGovernment benchmark: 78% of key public services for citizens and businesses were available fully online in 2023 (DESI/eGovernment benchmark)
03
OECD countries report that 61% of public service processes are at least partially digitized (OECD digital government metrics, 2021–2022 coverage)
04
EU public sector cloud adoption: 34% of organizations in public administration used cloud computing in 2023 (Eurostat ICT survey for cloud use)
05
Public sector organizations using CRM systems increased to 29% in 2024 (public sector enterprise apps usage study)
06
In Gartner's 2024 survey, 60% of public sector leaders planned to increase cloud spend over the next 12 months (forecast survey)
07
eID adoption: 56% of EU citizens reported using electronic identification (eID) in 2023 (Eurostat eID usage)
Interpretation
Digital Delivery Interpretation
In the Digital Delivery category, progress is strong and growing with 88% of EU citizens using at least one online public service in 2023, yet only 34% of public administrations use cloud computing, highlighting a continued need to modernize the digital infrastructure behind those services.
report visual · Key figures
Public sector employment snapshots across countries
Government staffing and labor dynamics vary widely—growth in the U.S. contrasts with higher attrition in the UK and different separation dynamics across public-sector employers.
2%
2.0% year-over-year growth in U.S. government employment (federal, state, and local) in May 2024
5.9%
UK civil service attrition rate was 5.9% in 2023 (Cabinet Office annual civil service workforce data)
1.9%
U.S. state and local government quit rate was 1.9% in 2023 (BLS JOLTS quits rate)
9.6%
In OECD countries, average public servant turnover was 9.6% in 2020 (OECD public employment management indicators)
3.1
3.1 million people were employed as teachers in the U.S. in 2023 (public and private combined)
source-verifiedbls.gov · gov.uk · data.bls.gov · oecd.org2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Public Sector Employment Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-sector-employment-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Public Sector Employment Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/public-sector-employment-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Public Sector Employment Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-sector-employment-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)