I bet every single one of them earns more than $130,000 per annum.
Check current job postings for Qwest at: http://www.salarylist.com/all-real-jobs-salary-at-qwest-cyber-solutions-llc.htm
“You have Qwest Communications in Denver. They employ thousands of people in that particular area. Ergo, odds are good they have LOTS and LOTS of middle managers.”
The only listings for Denver are $100,000 for senior managers and consultants. Qwest has made major layoffs in the last 10 years with more major layoffs coming soon. Qwest uses lots of outsourcing especially in IT. I see large numbers of Indian employees riding the light rail every morning.
There are few if any middle management positions available in Denver for $130,000. The only positions available would involve high instability. Federal government salaries should be lower because of the job stability. Especially in this job environment, many individuals would sacrifice current salary for stability. In addition, federal benefits dwarf private sector benefits. Federal retirement compensation is incredible with the combination of pension, Social Security, 401K, and medical benefits. When you factor the value of stability with higher salary and much higher retirement compensation, federal employees have at least a 2:1 advantage in compensation.