Post Job

What is a government contractor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Becky Serbin
The average government contractor salary is $76,972. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 6-8 years of experience to become a government contractor. Government contractors with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 36,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Government Contractor?

Becky SerbinBecky Serbin LinkedIn Profile

Director of Education and Curriculum, National Tile Contractors Association

Skill requirements are stated on our recruitment flyer, attached, but will ultimately be decided on by the hiring contractor. Beyond our flyer, many also require a valid drivers license.
ScoreGovernment ContractorUS Average
Salary
6.0

Avg. Salary $76,972

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.8

Growth Rate 8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 2.86%

Black or African American 3.75%

Hispanic or Latino 17.75%

Unknown 4.45%

White 70.63%

Gender

female 45.41%

male 54.59%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress Level
7.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.8

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Government Contractor in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Government Contractor career paths

Key steps to become a government contractor

  1. Explore government contractor education requirements

    Most common government contractor degrees

    Bachelor's

    53.9 %

    Associate

    20.5 %

    Master's

    11.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific government contractor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cost Accounting Standards10.90%
    Financial Statements9.03%
    Security Clearance6.18%
    Logistics5.65%
    Payroll5.50%
  3. Complete relevant government contractor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New government contractors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a government contractor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real government contractor resumes.
  4. Research government contractor duties and responsibilities

    • Lead data migration effort from an unsecure network to an IRS secure network.
    • Manage and process a conversion of manual time keeping of jobs to an electronic system within Deltek.
    • Manage all logistics of shipping sensitive information, software and laptops to destinations overseas.
    • Identify and lead multiple self-identify audit issues on application portfolio management, password security and separation of duties.
  5. Get government contractor experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a government contractor. The most common roles before becoming a government contractor include administrative assistant, customer service representative team lead and office manager.
  6. Prepare your government contractor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your government contractor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a government contractor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Government Contractor Resume templates

    Build a professional Government Contractor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Government Contractor resume.
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
    Government Contractor Resume
  7. Apply for government contractor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a government contractor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Government Contractor Job

Zippi

Are you a Government Contractor?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average government contractor salary

The average Government Contractor salary in the United States is $76,972 per year or $37 per hour. Government contractor salaries range between $49,000 and $118,000 per year.

Average Government Contractor Salary
$76,972 Yearly
$37.01 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

How do government contractors rate their job?

Working as a Government Contractor? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs