All of those are likely reasons, though 4a is somewhat weak.
I was offered two jobs after graduation that were similar in pay, but one was in DC and the other was where I resided at the time.
I've visited DC a few times and have two friends that live there. The cost of living is roughly 229% more expensive than my current residence and the conditions are substantially worse.
If the government wants to attract new talent, they need to start figuring out that people don't like to work in cramped cubicles, wearing suits, and dealing with enough red tape to completely cover the surface of the Earth -- all for "competitive" pay.
The same people can go to the private sector and make similar pay and be able to wear shorts and t-shirts to work, have a lab to work in, private offices, not have to live in DC, etc etc.
(For the record I'm an EE.)
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All of those are likely reasons, though 4a is somewhat weak. I was offered two jobs after graduation that were similar in pay, but one was in DC and the other was where I resided at the time. I've visited DC a few times and have two friends that live there. The cost of living is roughly 229% more expensive than my current residence and the conditions are substantially worse. If the government wants to attract new talent, they need to start figuring out that people don't like to work in cramped cubicles, wearing suits, and dealing with enough red tape to completely cover the surface of the Earth -- all for "competitive" pay. The same people can go to the private sector and make similar pay and be able to wear shorts and t-shirts to work, have a lab to work in, private offices, not have to live in DC, etc etc. (For the record I'm an EE.)