Computer Engineering

What the Numbers Say About Computer Engineering

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 4,705 people work in the Computer Engineering occupation (OPM code 854) across federal agencies, 0.2% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -1.3% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

The average salary for Computer Engineering is $137,388 per year, placing it 25.0% above the overall federal civilian average of $109,869. Salaries moved up by 2.5% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce. Average length of service in this role is 13.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.

Code 8, the Engineering and Architecture Group family, is where the federal government classifies Computer Engineering alongside 28 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Computer Engineering 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 Engineering and Architecture Group family, Computer Engineering ranks #9 of 29 by headcount, accounting for 3.3% of the family's combined 142,526 employees. Its average salary ranks in the top half (72nd percentile) of pay among Engineering and Architecture Group occupations.