Chemistry
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Chemistry occupation series (code 1320).
The verdict
In the Physical Sciences Group family, Chemistry counts 4,440 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.2% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.9% from the prior period; pay averages $149,099, which pays well above the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 4,440
- Share of workforce
- 0.2%
- Avg salary
- $149,099
- Avg tenure
- 14.9 yrs
FedScope read on Chemistry (dense series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 4,440 people work in the Chemistry occupation (OPM code 1320) across federal agencies, 0.2% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -1.9% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The average salary for Chemistry is $149,099 per year. Salaries moved up by 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. Average length of service in this role is 14.9 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Physical Sciences Group family (code 13) groups Chemistry together with 24 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Chemistry postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Chemistry makes up 16.5% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #2 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the top half (63rd percentile) of pay among Physical Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Chemistry pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$149,099
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+27.1%
Where Chemistry ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $149,099 is higher than 87% of federal occupation series (473 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Chemistry sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Chemistry ranks higher than 87%.
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 |
| 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 |
| Astronomy and Space Science | 416 | $177,819 | 18 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Chemistry outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (4,440 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($149,099 here).
Key takeaways
- Chemistry pays well above the federal average by 27.1% ($149,099 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 87th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 4,440 employees, 0.2% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.9% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Chemistry ranks #95 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Chemistry makes up 16.5% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #2 of 25 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.