But, I'll bet there's a ton of $60K administrative assistants on staff even though the going rate on the outside is around $40K with half the benefits.
Wage parity is a lost concept.
Actually, Administrative Assistant (a paraprofessional title, not an entry level job) and Information Technology Specialist 2 are both salary grade 18-
$46,732 to start, $56,567 after 7 years (not including a 3% contract raise due 4/1/07.)
As compared to entry level for a clerk at $23,614 or a truck driver/highway worker at $26,415.
We have trouble recruiting mechanics at a starting salary of $33,147.
We also offer a "location bonus" of $1,200 annually for employees located "downstate" due to high cost of living. Not near enough to help recruiting in those areas- that's not even three months extra rent.
http://www.cs.state.ny.us/salary/index.cfm?nu=CSA&effdt=04/01/2006
But your point is valid in that we have more qualified applicants than jobs for administrative titles, and more jobs than qualified applicants for the IT titles.
Here's the current vacancy list. There are vastly more unfilled positions- these are the only ones for which there is management and budget approval to fill. Many other jobs are being filled by consultants, at higher cost per hour (even given our generous salary and benefits) but no better qualtity of work. (The consultant employees don't reap the benefit of the difference- the politically connected consultant firms pocket it.)
http://www.statejobsny.com/listings.asp