Astronomy and Space Science

What the Numbers Say About Astronomy and Space Science

0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (2,289,472 employees total, March 2025) works in the Astronomy and Space Science occupation (OPM code 1330): 494 people, headcount up 0.2% 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 $169,394 per year on average, 54.2% above the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving up 2.0% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 14 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.

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, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Physical Sciences Group family (25 occupations, 32,337 employees combined), Astronomy and Space Science holds the #12 spot by headcount, a 1.5% share of the family total.