Data Science Series

What the Numbers Say About Data Science Series

Federal agencies employ 1,365 people in the Data Science Series occupation (OPM code 1560), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 20.8% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

Data Science Series pays $131,832 per year on average, 20.0% above the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving up 4.0% from the prior period (a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce). Employees in this role stay an average of 5 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce.

The Mathematics and Statistics Group family (code 15) groups Data Science Series together with 9 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Data Science Series 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.

Inside the Mathematics and Statistics Group family (10 occupations, 26,507 employees combined), Data Science Series holds the #5 spot by headcount, a 5.1% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (30th percentile) of pay among Mathematics and Statistics Group occupations.