Assistant Cook
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Assistant Cook occupation series (code 9975).
The verdict
With 98 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Assistant Cook ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, and headcount grew 7.7% from the prior period. Its average salary of n/a pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 98
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- n/a
- Avg tenure
- 7.8 yrs
FedScope read on Assistant Cook (thin series)
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Assistant Cook occupation (OPM code 9975): 98 people, headcount up 7.7% 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 Assistant Cook runs 7.8 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce. Pay averages n/a 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.
Assistant Cook sits inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99), which contains 55 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Assistant Cook postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Assistant Cook ranks #23 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 1.4% of the family's combined 6,786 employees.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Assistant Cook pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
n/a
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-100.0%
Where Assistant Cook ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of n/a is higher than 0% of federal occupation series (0 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Assistant Cook sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Assistant Cook ranks higher than 0%.
Related Occupations in Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System)
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steward Utilityman | 646 | n/a | 5.1 yrs |
| Ordinary Seaman | 619 | $42,990 | 2.5 yrs |
| Able Seaman-Maintenance | 556 | n/a | 11.2 yrs |
| Wiper | 449 | $42,656 | 2.9 yrs |
| Able Seaman | 338 | $51,760 | 12.1 yrs |
| Engine Utilityman | 283 | n/a | 8.5 yrs |
| Third Officer | 249 | n/a | 4.2 yrs |
| Boatswain's Mate | 199 | $60,969 | 16.9 yrs |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 194 | n/a | 6.1 yrs |
| Second Assistant Engineer | 186 | $107,628 | 13.5 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Assistant Cook outside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (98 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families (n/a here).
Key takeaways
- Assistant Cook pays below the federal average by 100.0% (n/a vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 0th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 98 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 7.7% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Assistant Cook ranks #477 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Assistant Cook ranks #23 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 1.4% of the family's combined 6,786 employees.
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.