Agronomy
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Agronomy occupation series (code 0471), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Biological Sciences Group family, Agronomy counts 160 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.3% from the prior period; pay averages $114,506, which pays near the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 160
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $114,506
- Avg tenure
- 16 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Agronomy
Federal agencies employ 160 people in the Agronomy occupation (OPM code 0471), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 1.3% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
Average tenure in Agronomy runs 16 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $114,506 per year, down -0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Agronomy together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Agronomy postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Agronomy holds the #26 spot by headcount, a 0.2% share of the family total.
Salary Context
How Agronomy pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$114,506
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-2.4%
Where Agronomy ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $114,506 is higher than 63% of federal occupation series (343 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Agronomy sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Agronomy ranks higher than 63%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Wildlife Biology | 1,868 | $95,468 | 16.3 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Agronomy outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (160 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($114,506 here).
Key takeaways
- Agronomy pays near the federal average by 2.4% ($114,506 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 63rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 160 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Agronomy ranks #431 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Agronomy holds the #26 spot by headcount, a 0.2% share of the family total.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.