The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released its annual data on compensation levels by industry. The data show that the pay advantage enjoyed by federal civilian workers over private-sector workers continues to expand.

In 2008, the average wage for 1.9 million federal civilian workers was $79,197, which compared to an average $49,935 for the nation’s 108 million private sector workers (measured in full-time equivalents). The federal advantage is even more pronounced when worker benefits are included. In 2008, total federal worker compensation averaged a remarkable $119,982, which was more than double the average in the private sector of $59,909.

For a more detailed look at the data, see here and here.