Records analyzed
4 sub-agencies
Cross-joined with state geography and occupational mix
OPM FedScope March 2025 Federal civilian workforce
Smithsonian Institution
Headcount, average pay, length of service, sub-agencies, and hiring trends for Smithsonian Institution, drawn directly from the OPM FedScope federal workforce dataset (March 2025).
The verdict
Smithsonian Institution is a smaller federal agency: 4,453 employees (0.2% of the federal civilian workforce) across 6 states (including DC). At an average salary of $135,267 it pays above the federal average of $109,869, and headcount declined 1.2% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 4,453
- Share of workforce
- 0.2%
- Avg salary
- $135,267
- States present
- 6
Federal workforce data for Smithsonian Institution. This agency represents 0.2% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.
What the Numbers Say About Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution employs 4,453 federal civilian workers, which accounts for 0.2% 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 -1.2%, a signal that hiring authorities and attrition at this agency are shedding net positions during the current reporting window.
Average length of service at Smithsonian Institution is 14.4 years, spread across its 4 sub-agencies, a retention signal: longer-tenured workforces tend to hold deeper institutional knowledge, while shorter tenure points to faster cycling through early-career hires. For applicants weighing federal employers, that tenure pattern is as telling as headline pay (how this agency's salary compares to the federal average is broken down in Salary Analysis below).
Geographic reach is another signal of scale: Smithsonian Institution has employees in 6 states (including DC), with the largest concentration in DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (3,579 employees at $142,929 avg salary). Over the most recent 12 months of workforce-dynamics data, the agency recorded 333 accessions against 127 separations for a net change of +206 positions, useful context for job seekers evaluating whether Smithsonian Institution is expanding, contracting, or simply replacing departures. All figures draw directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes and update semi-annually (March and September).
Workforce Overview
Employees
4,453
Mid-sized employer
-1.2% from prior period
Average Salary
$135,267
Above federal average
+32.6%
Avg Length of Service
14.4 yrs
Long-tenured workforce
Sub-agencies
4
Data vintage
March 2025
OPM FedScope semi-annual snapshot
Source authority
OPM FedScope
U.S. Office of Personnel Management, official federal HR data
Smithsonian Institution pay vs. federal civilian average
Agency average $135,267 relative to federal average $109,869
Federal General Schedule pay-grade distribution
The federal civilian workforce concentrates in the GS-11 to GS-13 grades. These are the actual federal-wide General Schedule employee counts from OPM FedScope, per-agency grade breakdowns are not published in the public extract, so this shows the national distribution Smithsonian Institution hires into rather than a modelled per-agency estimate.
National General Schedule grade distribution - 1,517,243 GS employees.
Salary Analysis
How Smithsonian Institution pay compares to the federal average of $109,869
Workforce by pay band
How Smithsonian Institution's 4,453 employees split across salary ranges (sub-agency averages).
- $100k–$120k: 762 (17%)
- $120k–$150k: 3,691 (83%)
Agency Average
$135,267
Federal Average
$109,869
vs. Federal Avg
+23.1%
Where Smithsonian Institution ranks on pay
Ranked by agency (not weighted by headcount), its average salary of $135,267 is higher than 38% of the 115 federal agencies (44 pay less on average). Smaller specialized agencies often post higher per-employee averages than large ones like Smithsonian Institution, so this agency-count rank can differ from a comparison to the government-wide, employee-weighted average shown above. The highlighted bar marks where Smithsonian Institution sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 115 federal agencies; Smithsonian Institution ranks higher than 38%.
Salary Range by Sub-agency
Under $80K
0
$80K–$100K
0
$100K–$120K
762
$120K–$150K
3,691
Over $150K
0
Sub-agencies & Organizational Units
Smithsonian Institution has 4 sub-agencies. The highest-paying unit averages $142,011.
| Sub-agency | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smithsonian Institution (except Units Administered Under Separate Boards of Trustees) | 3,647 | $141,323 | 14.5 yrs |
| National Gallery of Art | 709 | $105,318 | 14.2 yrs |
| John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | 53 | $113,585 | 12.6 yrs |
| Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | 44 | $142,011 | 12.6 yrs |
Geographic Presence
Smithsonian Institution has employees in 6 states (including DC). DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA has the most with 3,579 employees.
| State | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 3,579 | $142,929 | 14.3 yrs |
| MARYLAND | 391 | $93,324 | 15.4 yrs |
| VIRGINIA | 212 | $113,105 | 13.4 yrs |
| NEW YORK | 141 | $85,193 | 14.5 yrs |
| MASSACHUSETTS | 52 | $186,141 | 22.3 yrs |
| HAWAII | 17 | $89,598 | 11.3 yrs |
Workforce Dynamics
Monthly hiring and separation trends. Net change over 12 months: +206.
| Month | Accessions | Separations | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | +0 | -11 | -11 |
| Feb 2025 | +13 | -0 | +13 |
| Jan 2025 | +36 | -28 | +8 |
| Dec 2024 | +34 | -38 | -4 |
| Nov 2024 | +23 | -12 | +11 |
| Oct 2024 | +29 | -11 | +18 |
| Sep 2024 | +23 | -0 | +23 |
| Aug 2024 | +28 | -11 | +17 |
| Jul 2024 | +52 | -16 | +36 |
| Jun 2024 | +44 | -0 | +44 |
| May 2024 | +32 | -0 | +32 |
| Apr 2024 | +19 | -0 | +19 |
Hiring & Separation Reasons
Why employees join and leave Smithsonian Institution
Accession Reasons
New Hire - Competitive Service Appointment
333
Separation Reasons
Retirement - Voluntary
89
Termination (Expired Appt/Other)
16
Transfer Out - Individual Transfer
11
Quit
11
Employee Tenure Distribution
Average length of service is 14.4 years. Employees in sub-agencies grouped by average tenure.
Under 5 yrs
0
5–10 yrs
0
10–15 yrs
4,453
15–20 yrs
0
Over 20 yrs
0
Federal Employment Guides
Learn more about working for the federal government
Similar-Sized Agencies
Federal agencies with a similar workforce size to Smithsonian Institution
Securities and Exchange Commission
4,744 employees $230,991 avg
Department of Education
4,052 employees $145,334 avg
U.S. Agency for International Development
4,922 employees $152,896 avg
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
2,941 employees $157,299 avg
Office of Personnel Management
2,941 employees $121,220 avg
National Archives and Records Administration
2,810 employees $93,615 avg
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work at Smithsonian Institution? ▾
Smithsonian Institution employs 4,453 federal workers as of March 2025. This represents 0.2% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average salary at Smithsonian Institution? ▾
The average salary at Smithsonian Institution is $135,267 per year, which is 23.1% above the federal average of $109,869.
What is the average length of service at Smithsonian Institution? ▾
The average length of service at Smithsonian Institution is 14.4 years. The federal average is 11.8 years.
How many sub-agencies does Smithsonian Institution have? ▾
Smithsonian Institution has 4 sub-agencies or organizational units. The largest is Smithsonian Institution (except Units Administered Under Separate Boards of Trustees) with 3,647 employees.
In how many states does Smithsonian Institution have employees? ▾
Smithsonian Institution has employees in 6 states (including DC). The largest concentration is in DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA with 3,579 employees.
Is Smithsonian Institution hiring or downsizing? ▾
Over the most recent 12 months of data, Smithsonian Institution had 333 accessions and 127 separations, for a net change of +206 employees.
Where can I find salary data for occupations at Smithsonian Institution? ▾
PlainGovJobs reports the average salary for Smithsonian Institution from the OPM FedScope dataset. For pay broken down by individual occupation, browse this site's occupation directory, each occupation page lists its federal average salary and workforce size from the same OPM source.
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 public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGovJobs
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.
Data currency: Federal workforce figures from OPM FedScope as of the March 2025 snapshot, with current openings from USAJOBS; compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
PlainGovJobs is rendered directly from OPM FedScope federal-workforce data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on OPM FedScope agency-level employment records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.