Boatswain
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Boatswain occupation series (code 9920): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Boatswain counts 106 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.9% from the prior period; pay averages $77,466, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 106
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $77,466
- Avg tenure
- 23.3 yrs
FedScope read on Boatswain (thin series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 106 people work in the Boatswain occupation (OPM code 9920) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -0.9% 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.
Boatswain pays $77,466 per year on average, moving 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). Employees in this role stay an average of 23.3 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
Code 99, the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, is where the federal government classifies Boatswain alongside 54 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Boatswain 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, Boatswain ranks #21 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 1.6% of the family's combined 6,786 employees.
Salary Context
How Boatswain pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$77,466
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-34.0%
Where Boatswain ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $77,466 is higher than 34% of federal occupation series (184 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Boatswain sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Boatswain ranks higher than 34%.
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 Boatswain 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 (106 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($77,466 here).
Key takeaways
- Boatswain pays below the federal average by 34.0% ($77,466 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 34th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 106 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.9% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Boatswain ranks #471 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, Boatswain ranks #21 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 1.6% 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.