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The best (and worst) large agencies to work for in federal government The Partnership for Public Service released its 2012 rankings, which draw on surveys of nearly 700,000 federal workers. Here we look at the best and worst of the government’s large agencies, in terms of employee satisfaction.
1. NASA
NASA takes the top spot among large federal agencies in this year’s rankings. The agency's overall score was 72.8/100.
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Reuters
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2. Intelligence Community
The intelligence community received a score of 70.8 out of 100, bringing it near the top of the list.
Saul Loeb
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AFP/Getty Images
3. State Department
The State Department ranks among the top places to work again this year, though its overall score dropped slightly, from 70.0 in 2011 to 68.2 in 2012.
Gary Cameron
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Reuters
4. Department of Commerce
The Department of Commerce held fairly steady in the rankings, with a score of 67.9.
Tim Rue
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Bloomberg
5. Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA received an overall score of 67.6, though its Office of General Counsel had one of the highest subcomponent scores: 81.6.
Ross D. Franklin
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AP
6. Social Security Administration
The SSA dropped nearly 4 points this year, giving it a score of 66.4.
Rebecca D'Angelo
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For The Washington Post
7. Treasury Department
The Treasury Department received an overall score of 66.1, though its worst-performing subcomponent — the Financial Management Service — had a score of 52.2.
Jacquelyn Martin
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AP
8. Department of Justice
With a score of 63.8, the Justice Department ranks slightly higher than the average large agency. However, its Antitrust Division had one of the worst subcomponent scores of all large federal agencies, 45.8.
Kevin LaMarque
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Reuters
9. Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation was one of the few agencies that improved its score, moving from 59.5 in 2011 to 63.6 this year. Overall scores went down in 66 percent of large agencies.
Sarah L. Voisin
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The Washington Post
10. Navy
The Department of the Navy sits in the middle of the pack with a score of 63.4. Yet the Naval Special Warfare Command received a subcomponent score of 78.1, putting it among the best of all large-agency subcomponents.
MC1 Chad Runge
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U.S. Navy
11. Department of Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services received a score of 63.3, a slight increase from 2011.
Mark Wilson
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Getty Images
12. Department of the Interior
This department has remained fairly steady year over year, with a 2012 score of 62.7.
Al Grillo
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AP
13. Air Force
The Department of the Air Force ranks slightly below the average large agency, with a score of 61.5.
U.S. Air Force
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Getty Images
14. Army
The Department of the Army ranked the lowest among the services, with a score of 60.9, a 4-point drop from its 2011 score. However, the Army also contains a unit with the best subcomponent score (85.7) among all large agencies in the federal government — the U.S. Army Audit Agency.
Baz Ratner
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Reuters
15. Defense
This entry contains several Department of Defense groups — the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Defense Agencies and Department of Defense Field Activities — but excludes the services. Its overall score was 59.9.
Susan Walsh
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AFP/Getty Images
16. Department of Labor (tie)
The Labor Department tied the Agriculture Department for slot No. 16 among the 19 large federal agencies.
Bill O'Leary
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the Washington Post
16. Department of Agriculture (tie)
The Agriculture and Labor departments received overall scores of 57.4.
Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
17. Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA received a score of 56.7, which marks a more than 7 percent drop from its 2011 rating.
Jahi Chikwendiu
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The Washington Post
19. Department of Homeland Security
The DHS came in last among the large federal agencies, with a score of 52.9. The department also contains the unit with the worst subcomponent score out of all 292 large-agency units — the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, with a score of 34.7.
Wayne Parry
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AP
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