Records analyzed
14 sub-agencies
Cross-joined with state geography and occupational mix
2026 data Public-data reference. official source
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Open-data reference.
Federal workforce data for DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. This agency represents 2.8% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.
What the Numbers Say About DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR employs 63,752 federal civilian workers, which accounts for 2.8% 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 -8.1%, 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 $95,844 sits 12.8% below the federal civilian average of $109,869. Average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR is 14 years, reflecting a workforce that has built institutional knowledge across 14 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 INTERIOR has employees in 51 states and territories, with the largest concentration in CALIFORNIA (6,047 employees at $97,868 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 INTERIOR is expanding, contracting, or simply replacing departures. All figures draw directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes and update quarterly.
Workforce Overview
Employees
63,752
-8.1% from prior period
Average Salary
$95,844
+6.5%
Avg Length of Service
14 yrs
Sub-agencies
14
Data vintage
March 2025
OPM FedScope quarterly snapshot
Source authority
OPM FedScope
U.S. Office of Personnel Management — official federal HR data
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR pay vs. federal civilian average
Agency average $95,844 relative to federal average $109,869
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR workforce by GS grade tier
Estimated distribution of 63,752 employees across the General Schedule pay grades. Tier weights are modeled from the agency's average salary of $95,844, average length of service of 14 years, and sub-agency salary brackets. Color encodes pay-band tier (entry / mid / senior / executive).
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR — estimated GS-grade workforce mix. Source: OPM FedScope March 2025; pay tiers modeled from agency averages.
Salary Analysis
How DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR pay compares to the federal average of $109,869
Agency Average
$95,844
Federal Average
$109,869
vs. Federal Avg
-12.8%
Salary Range by Sub-agency
Under $80K
3,071
$80K–$100K
40,416
$100K–$120K
14,480
$120K–$150K
4,949
Over $150K
836
Sub-agencies & Organizational Units
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR has 14 sub-agencies. The highest-paying unit averages $157,130.
| Sub-agency | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL PARK SERVICE | 17,980 | $84,621 | 13.3 yrs |
| BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT | 9,853 | $87,778 | 13.8 yrs |
| U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE | 8,724 | $99,063 | 14.7 yrs |
| GEOLOGICAL SURVEY | 8,305 | $103,033 | 13.3 yrs |
| BUREAU OF RECLAMATION | 5,771 | $104,662 | 13 yrs |
| INDIAN AFFAIRS | 3,859 | $90,635 | 16.5 yrs |
| BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION | 3,071 | $69,804 | 14.8 yrs |
| OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR | 3,034 | $134,372 | 16.1 yrs |
| BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT | 876 | $132,563 | 15 yrs |
| BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT | 623 | $141,315 | 15.4 yrs |
| OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR | 541 | $157,130 | 13.1 yrs |
| OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING, RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT | 416 | $121,119 | 15 yrs |
| BUREAU OF TRUST FUNDS ADMINISTRATION | 404 | $107,535 | 18.7 yrs |
| OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL | 295 | $152,984 | 17.3 yrs |
Geographic Presence
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR has employees in 51 states and territories. CALIFORNIA has the most with 6,047 employees.
| State | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA | 6,047 | $97,868 | 13.2 yrs |
| COLORADO | 6,039 | $112,807 | 13.9 yrs |
| ARIZONA | 3,861 | $79,607 | 14.1 yrs |
| NEW MEXICO | 3,473 | $83,636 | 15 yrs |
| VIRGINIA | 3,203 | $123,316 | 15.8 yrs |
| OREGON | 2,514 | $88,941 | 14.3 yrs |
| WASHINGTON | 2,344 | $97,912 | 14 yrs |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 2,309 | $131,976 | 16.9 yrs |
| IDAHO | 2,132 | $91,830 | 14.3 yrs |
| NEVADA | 2,067 | $87,714 | 12.6 yrs |
| ALASKA | 2,048 | $103,970 | 13.9 yrs |
| UTAH | 1,997 | $82,239 | 12.7 yrs |
| MONTANA | 1,898 | $87,393 | 14.4 yrs |
| WYOMING | 1,724 | $83,767 | 13 yrs |
| FLORIDA | 1,521 | $88,107 | 12.9 yrs |
| TEXAS | 1,353 | $93,651 | 14.2 yrs |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | 1,173 | $80,388 | 14.8 yrs |
| OKLAHOMA | 1,084 | $85,851 | 13.4 yrs |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 970 | $92,929 | 14 yrs |
| LOUISIANA | 949 | $111,800 | 15 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 | +211 | -611 | -400 |
| Feb 2025 | +58 | -356 | -298 |
| Jan 2025 | +817 | -613 | +204 |
| Dec 2024 | +712 | -831 | -119 |
| Nov 2024 | +644 | -1,774 | -1,130 |
| Oct 2024 | +558 | -2,530 | -1,972 |
| Sep 2024 | +486 | -1,820 | -1,334 |
| Aug 2024 | +569 | -1,159 | -590 |
| Jul 2024 | +640 | -427 | +213 |
| Jun 2024 | +2,022 | -539 | +1,483 |
| May 2024 | +3,886 | -654 | +3,232 |
| Apr 2024 | +2,565 | -511 | +2,054 |
Hiring & Separation Reasons
Why employees join and leave DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Accession Reasons
New Hire - Competitive Service Appointment
10,635
New Hire - Excepted Service Appointment
2,192
Transfer In - Individual Transfer
341
Separation Reasons
Termination (Expired Appt/Other)
5,919
Quit
3,595
Retirement - Voluntary
1,620
Transfer Out - Individual Transfer
587
Other Separation
104
Employee Tenure Distribution
Average length of service is 14 years. Employees in sub-agencies grouped by average tenure.
Under 5 yrs
0
5–10 yrs
0
10–15 yrs
54,245
15–20 yrs
9,507
Over 20 yrs
0
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 INTERIOR 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 INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
57,204 employees $141,857 avg
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
56,263 employees $101,587 avg
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
47,410 employees $127,933 avg
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
90,840 employees $88,591 avg
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
92,269 employees $134,256 avg
NAT AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
17,973 employees $152,463 avg
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR employs 63,752 federal workers as of March 2025. This represents 2.8% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average salary at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR? ▾
The average salary at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR is $95,844 per year, which is 12.8% below the federal average of $109,869.
What is the average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR? ▾
The average length of service at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR is 14 years. The federal average is 11.8 years.
How many sub-agencies does DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR have? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR has 14 sub-agencies or organizational units. The largest is NATIONAL PARK SERVICE with 17,980 employees.
In how many states does DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR have employees? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR has employees in 51 states and territories. The largest concentration is in CALIFORNIA with 6,047 employees.
Is DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR hiring or downsizing? ▾
Over the most recent 12 months of data, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR had 0 accessions and 0 separations, for a net change of 0 employees.
Where can I find salary data for occupations at DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR? ▾
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.
