Boatswain

What the Numbers Say About Boatswain

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 107 people work in the Boatswain occupation (OPM code 9920) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 8.1% 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 $72,846 per year on average, 33.7% below the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving down -1.8% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 21.8 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 50 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Boatswain 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.

Within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Boatswain ranks #19 of 51 by headcount, accounting for 1.7% of the family's combined 6,135 employees.