Astronomy and Space Science
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Astronomy and Space Science occupation series (code 1330): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 416 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Astronomy and Space Science ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Physical Sciences Group family, and headcount declined 1.0% from the prior period. Its average salary of $177,819 pays well above the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 416
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $177,819
- Avg tenure
- 18 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Astronomy and Space Science
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Astronomy and Space Science occupation (OPM code 1330): 416 people, headcount down -1.0% 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.
Astronomy and Space Science pays $177,819 per year on average, moving down -0.1% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 18 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
Astronomy and Space Science sits inside the Physical Sciences Group family (code 13), which contains 25 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Astronomy and Space Science postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Inside the Physical Sciences Group family (25 occupations, 26,960 employees combined), Astronomy and Space Science holds the #11 spot by headcount, a 1.5% share of the family total.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Astronomy and Space Science pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$177,819
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+51.5%
Where Astronomy and Space Science ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $177,819 is higher than 97% of federal occupation series (526 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Astronomy and Space Science sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Astronomy and Space Science ranks higher than 97%.
Related Occupations in Physical Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Physical Science | 8,297 | $145,078 | 14.6 yrs |
| Chemistry | 4,440 | $149,099 | 14.9 yrs |
| Meteorology | 2,494 | $123,942 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physics | 2,009 | $174,005 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physical Science Technician | 1,577 | $78,820 | 13.3 yrs |
| Hydrology | 1,524 | $116,486 | 17.1 yrs |
| Hydrologic Technician | 1,356 | $76,077 | 12.9 yrs |
| Geology | 1,240 | $124,746 | 14 yrs |
| Health Physics | 746 | $146,649 | 16.4 yrs |
| Cartography | 487 | $120,890 | 16.3 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Astronomy and Space Science outside the Physical 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 (416 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($177,819 here).
Key takeaways
- Astronomy and Space Science pays well above the federal average by 51.5% ($177,819 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 97th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 416 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.0% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Astronomy and Space Science ranks #314 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Physical Sciences Group family (25 occupations, 26,960 employees combined), Astronomy and Space Science holds the #11 spot by headcount, a 1.5% 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.