Biological Science Student Trainee
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Biological Science Student Trainee occupation series (code 0499): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
Biological Science Student Trainee is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 202 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Biological Sciences Group family. At an average salary of $42,777 it pays below the federal average of $117,339, and headcount grew 17.4% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 202
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $42,777
- Avg tenure
- 2.5 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Biological Science Student Trainee
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 202 people work in the Biological Science Student Trainee occupation (OPM code 0499) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 17.4% from 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 Biological Science Student Trainee runs 2.5 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 $42,777 per year, down -2.0% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce.
Code 04, the Biological Sciences Group family, is where the federal government classifies Biological Science Student Trainee alongside 30 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Biological Science Student Trainee postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Biological Science Student Trainee makes up 0.3% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #23 of 31 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Biological Science Student Trainee pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$42,777
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-63.5%
Where Biological Science Student Trainee ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $42,777 is higher than 1% of federal occupation series (7 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Biological Science Student Trainee sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Biological Science Student Trainee ranks higher than 1%.
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 Biological Science Student Trainee 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 (202 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($42,777 here).
Key takeaways
- Biological Science Student Trainee pays below the federal average by 63.5% ($42,777 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 1st percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 202 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 17.4% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Biological Science Student Trainee ranks #406 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Biological Science Student Trainee makes up 0.3% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #23 of 31 occupations in that family by headcount.
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.