Pay Competitiveness and Quality of Department of Defense Scientists and Engineers

The analysis focuses on the pay competitiveness and quality of civilian scientific and engineering personnel in Department of Defense laboratories from 1982 to 1996. It utilizes demographic, pay, promotion, and performance data to assess whether skill returns increased similarly to the private sector. The findings reveal minimal changes in both the returns to skills and the quality of the workforce in DoD labs during this period, suggesting stability in the recruitment and retention of scientists and engineers.