Records analyzed
33 sub-agencies
Cross-joined with state geography and occupational mix
2026 data Public-data reference. official source
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Open-data reference.
Federal workforce data for DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. This agency represents 6.9% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.
What the Numbers Say About DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE employs 158,689 federal civilian workers, which accounts for 6.9% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 reported in the OPM FedScope March 2025 release. Compared to the prior period, headcount moved down by -0.1%, a signal that hiring authorities and attrition at this agency are shedding net positions during the current reporting window.
On compensation, the average salary of $100,589 sits 8.4% below the federal civilian average of $109,869. Average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE is 11.5 years, reflecting a workforce that has built institutional knowledge across 33 sub-agencies. For applicants comparing federal employers, this pay premium (or gap) combined with tenure patterns helps explain why some agencies retain staff through full careers while others cycle more rapidly through early-career hires.
Geographic reach is another signal of scale: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE has employees in 51 states and territories, with the largest concentration in VIRGINIA (30,006 employees at $125,523 avg salary). Over the most recent 12 months of workforce-dynamics data, the agency recorded 0 accessions against 0 separations for a net change of 0 positions — useful context for job seekers evaluating whether DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE is expanding, contracting, or simply replacing departures. All figures draw directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes and update quarterly.
Workforce Overview
Employees
158,689
-0.1% from prior period
Average Salary
$100,589
+1.8%
Avg Length of Service
11.5 yrs
Sub-agencies
33
Data vintage
March 2025
OPM FedScope quarterly snapshot
Source authority
OPM FedScope
U.S. Office of Personnel Management — official federal HR data
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE pay vs. federal civilian average
Agency average $100,589 relative to federal average $109,869
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE workforce by GS grade tier
Estimated distribution of 158,689 employees across the General Schedule pay grades. Tier weights are modeled from the agency's average salary of $100,589, average length of service of 11.5 years, and sub-agency salary brackets. Color encodes pay-band tier (entry / mid / senior / executive).
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE — estimated GS-grade workforce mix. Source: OPM FedScope March 2025; pay tiers modeled from agency averages.
Salary Analysis
How DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE pay compares to the federal average of $109,869
Agency Average
$100,589
Federal Average
$109,869
vs. Federal Avg
-8.4%
Salary Range by Sub-agency
Under $80K
25,990
$80K–$100K
82,236
$100K–$120K
20,146
$120K–$150K
21,403
Over $150K
8,914
Sub-agencies & Organizational Units
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE has 33 sub-agencies. The highest-paying unit averages $215,633.
| Sub-agency | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES UNDER DHA | 44,777 | $93,205 | 10.2 yrs |
| DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY | 23,896 | $95,734 | 13.1 yrs |
| DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY | 14,752 | $75,250 | 8.6 yrs |
| DEFENSE COMMISSARY AGENCY | 11,238 | $56,062 | 10.3 yrs |
| DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE | 10,735 | $82,863 | 12.5 yrs |
| DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AGENCY | 9,665 | $114,320 | 15.2 yrs |
| DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY | 6,823 | $129,364 | 12.2 yrs |
| DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY | 6,118 | $132,507 | 12.1 yrs |
| DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY | 5,644 | $118,162 | 11.5 yrs |
| DEFENSE CONTRACT AUDIT AGENCY | 3,768 | $110,640 | 12.5 yrs |
| MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY | 2,903 | $152,294 | 12.6 yrs |
| DEFENSE HUMAN RESOURCES ACTIVITY | 2,828 | $93,136 | 9.9 yrs |
| OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE | 2,689 | $165,575 | 12.4 yrs |
| OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL | 1,832 | $140,763 | 14.4 yrs |
| WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES | 1,653 | $120,053 | 11.9 yrs |
| DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY | 1,344 | $149,598 | 12.7 yrs |
| NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE | 1,163 | $161,244 | 9.4 yrs |
| DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY | 1,128 | $140,318 | 10.8 yrs |
| PENTAGON FORCE PROTECTION AGENCY | 1,069 | $119,209 | 13.6 yrs |
| ORGANIZATION OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF | 831 | $149,700 | 12.7 yrs |
| UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES | 773 | $151,029 | 13.8 yrs |
| DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY | 657 | $168,480 | 15.4 yrs |
| DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY | 472 | $123,722 | 12.9 yrs |
| NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY | 431 | $133,938 | 11.5 yrs |
| DEFENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY | 318 | $127,449 | 11.7 yrs |
| DEFENSE LEGAL SERVICES AGENCY | 272 | $170,896 | 12.1 yrs |
| DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY | 253 | $215,633 | 9.9 yrs |
| DEFENSE MICROELECTRONICS ACTIVITY | 211 | $135,643 | 11 yrs |
| DEFENSE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER | 191 | $140,516 | 13.8 yrs |
| DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY SECURITY ADMINISTRATION | 125 | $178,202 | 18.2 yrs |
| OFFICE OF ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT | 56 | $166,193 | 11.6 yrs |
| U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ARMED FORCES | 51 | $143,847 | 13.1 yrs |
| DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TEST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CENTER | 23 | $188,283 | 22 yrs |
Geographic Presence
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE has employees in 51 states and territories. VIRGINIA has the most with 30,006 employees.
| State | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIRGINIA | 30,006 | $125,523 | 12.1 yrs |
| TEXAS | 12,891 | $95,450 | 11.4 yrs |
| MARYLAND | 11,284 | $126,489 | 12.2 yrs |
| OHIO | 9,712 | $90,045 | 13 yrs |
| CALIFORNIA | 8,604 | $105,848 | 12.2 yrs |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 8,236 | $104,435 | 14 yrs |
| GEORGIA | 6,426 | $81,384 | 10.8 yrs |
| NORTH CAROLINA | 6,231 | $82,788 | 9.8 yrs |
| ALABAMA | 4,405 | $118,014 | 11.5 yrs |
| WASHINGTON | 4,344 | $98,165 | 10.6 yrs |
| INDIANA | 4,131 | $91,011 | 13.2 yrs |
| FLORIDA | 3,950 | $88,717 | 12 yrs |
| HAWAII | 3,244 | $101,846 | 11 yrs |
| COLORADO | 2,945 | $105,357 | 10.4 yrs |
| NEW YORK | 2,702 | $80,088 | 10.9 yrs |
| OKLAHOMA | 2,598 | $79,206 | 10.7 yrs |
| KENTUCKY | 1,733 | $79,855 | 11.8 yrs |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | 1,615 | $81,146 | 11.3 yrs |
| MICHIGAN | 1,484 | $102,051 | 14.2 yrs |
| ARIZONA | 1,440 | $92,443 | 12.4 yrs |
Showing top 20 of 51 states
Workforce Dynamics
Monthly hiring and separation trends. Net change over 12 months: 0.
| Month | Accessions | Separations | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | +98 | -1,082 | -984 |
| Feb 2025 | +1,489 | -816 | +673 |
| Jan 2025 | +1,408 | -1,141 | +267 |
| Dec 2024 | +1,368 | -1,594 | -226 |
| Nov 2024 | +1,450 | -1,051 | +399 |
| Oct 2024 | +1,801 | -1,054 | +747 |
| Sep 2024 | +1,705 | -1,221 | +484 |
| Aug 2024 | +2,043 | -1,234 | +809 |
| Jul 2024 | +2,074 | -1,553 | +521 |
| Jun 2024 | +1,865 | -2,214 | -349 |
| May 2024 | +2,898 | -1,324 | +1,574 |
| Apr 2024 | +1,585 | -1,107 | +478 |
Hiring & Separation Reasons
Why employees join and leave DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Accession Reasons
New Hire - Competitive Service Appointment
11,717
New Hire - Excepted Service Appointment
6,001
Transfer In - Individual Transfer
2,043
New Hire - Senior Executive Service (SES) Appt
23
Separation Reasons
Quit
7,021
Retirement - Voluntary
4,007
Transfer Out - Individual Transfer
2,856
Termination (Expired Appt/Other)
923
Other Separation
537
Employee Tenure Distribution
Average length of service is 11.5 years. Employees in sub-agencies grouped by average tenure.
Under 5 yrs
0
5–10 yrs
18,996
10–15 yrs
129,223
15–20 yrs
10,447
Over 20 yrs
23
Related Federal Data
Explore related salary, cost-of-living, and workforce data from other federal sources
WageDex — Salary Data
BLS occupation salary data for 831 occupations across all US metros. Compare federal vs. private sector pay.
PlainWorker — Worker Protections
OSHA inspection data and workplace safety records. See enforcement activity at federal and private employers.
PlainPension — Pension Data
Federal and private pension plan data. Explore retirement benefits for DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE employees.
PlainCost — Cost of Living
BEA Regional Price Parities for 387 metros. See how far your federal salary goes in different locations.
Federal Employment Guides
Learn more about working for the federal government
Similar-Sized Agencies
Federal agencies with a similar workforce size to DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
171,750 employees $99,379 avg
DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY
116,073 employees $95,743 avg
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
116,047 employees $117,386 avg
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
220,459 employees $108,539 avg
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
220,484 employees $101,403 avg
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
92,269 employees $134,256 avg
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE employs 158,689 federal workers as of March 2025. This represents 6.9% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average salary at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE? ▾
The average salary at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE is $100,589 per year, which is 8.4% below the federal average of $109,869.
What is the average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE? ▾
The average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE is 11.5 years. The federal average is 11.8 years.
How many sub-agencies does DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE have? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE has 33 sub-agencies or organizational units. The largest is MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES UNDER DHA with 44,777 employees.
In how many states does DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE have employees? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE has employees in 51 states and territories. The largest concentration is in VIRGINIA with 30,006 employees.
Is DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE hiring or downsizing? ▾
Over the most recent 12 months of data, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE had 0 accessions and 0 separations, for a net change of 0 employees.
Where can I find salary data for occupations at DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE? ▾
While PlainGovJobs provides agency-level salary data, you can explore detailed salary data by occupation on WageDex at wagedex.com, which covers 831 occupations with Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Data Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FedScope Employment Cubes, March 2025. Federal civilian non-seasonal full-time and part-time employees. Data does not include military personnel, postal workers, or intelligence agency staff. Last updated: 2026-03-10.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGovJobs Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from OPM FedScope. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
