Deckhand
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Deckhand occupation series (code 5788).
The verdict
In the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, Deckhand counts 192 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 3.8% from the prior period; pay averages $66,505, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 192
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $66,505
- Avg tenure
- 7.3 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Deckhand
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 192 people work in the Deckhand occupation (OPM code 5788) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 3.8% 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 $66,505 per year on average, moving down -0.7% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 7.3 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 in the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family.
Deckhand makes up 2.1% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #7 of 15 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Deckhand pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$66,505
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-43.3%
Where Deckhand ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $66,505 is higher than 21% of federal occupation series (116 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Deckhand sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Deckhand ranks higher than 21%.
Related Occupations in Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operating | 4,012 | $61,944 | 12.6 yrs |
| Engineering Equipment Operating | 2,691 | $78,062 | 13.2 yrs |
| Crane Operating | 616 | $90,118 | 13.9 yrs |
| Misc Transportation/mobile Equipment Oper | 512 | $60,267 | 13 yrs |
| Tractor Operating | 437 | $60,593 | 11.6 yrs |
| Small Craft Operating | 225 | $76,720 | 12.5 yrs |
| Ship Operating | 129 | $101,346 | 14.4 yrs |
| Fork Lift Operating | 126 | $67,848 | 12.4 yrs |
| Riverboat Operating | 120 | n/a | 15 yrs |
| Drill Rig Operating | 78 | $75,988 | 10.3 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Deckhand outside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (192 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($66,505 here).
Key takeaways
- Deckhand pays below the federal average by 43.3% ($66,505 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 21st percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 192 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 3.8% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Deckhand ranks #413 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Deckhand makes up 2.1% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #7 of 15 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.