Chief Steward
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Chief Steward occupation series (code 9968).
The verdict
With 54 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Chief Steward ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, and headcount grew 1.9% from the prior period. Its average salary of $69,845 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 54
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $69,845
- Avg tenure
- 13.4 yrs
FedScope read on Chief Steward (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 54 people in the Chief Steward occupation (OPM code 9968), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 1.9% 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.
The average salary for Chief Steward is $69,845 per year. Salaries moved down by -0.5% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement. Average length of service in this role is 13.4 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Code 99, the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, is where the federal government classifies Chief Steward alongside 54 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Chief Steward 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, Chief Steward ranks #36 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 0.8% of the family's combined 6,786 employees.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Chief Steward pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$69,845
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-40.5%
Where Chief Steward ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $69,845 is higher than 26% of federal occupation series (139 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Chief Steward sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Chief Steward ranks higher than 26%.
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 Chief Steward 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 (54 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($69,845 here).
Key takeaways
- Chief Steward pays below the federal average by 40.5% ($69,845 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 26th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 54 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.9% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Chief Steward ranks #531 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, Chief Steward ranks #36 of 55 by headcount, accounting for 0.8% 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.