Deckhand

What the Numbers Say About Deckhand

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 207 people work in the Deckhand occupation (OPM code 5788) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -13.4% 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.

Deckhand pays $60,475 per year on average, 45.0% below the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving up 3.1% 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 6 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.

Deckhand sits inside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family (code 57), which contains 15 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Deckhand 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.

Deckhand makes up 1.9% of the 10,693 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #7 of 15 occupations in that family by headcount.