Ecology
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Ecology occupation series (code 0408), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Biological Sciences Group family, Ecology counts 989 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce; pay averages $122,664, which pays near the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 989
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $122,664
- Avg tenure
- 16.1 yrs
FedScope read on Ecology (dense series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 989 people work in the Ecology occupation (OPM code 0408) across federal agencies, 0.1% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved sideways by 0.0% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The average salary for Ecology is $122,664 per year. Salaries moved up by 0.2% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. Average length of service in this role is 16.1 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
Ecology sits inside the Biological Sciences Group family (code 04), which contains 31 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Ecology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Within the Biological Sciences Group family, Ecology ranks #10 of 31 by headcount, accounting for 1.5% of the family's combined 67,961 employees. Its average salary ranks in the top half (58th percentile) of pay among Biological Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Ecology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$122,664
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+4.5%
Where Ecology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $122,664 is higher than 69% of federal occupation series (375 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Ecology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Ecology ranks higher than 69%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Wildlife Biology | 1,868 | $95,468 | 16.3 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Rangeland Management | 692 | $88,317 | 14.6 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Ecology outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (989 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($122,664 here).
Key takeaways
- Ecology pays near the federal average by 4.5% ($122,664 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 69th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 989 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Ecology ranks #212 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Biological Sciences Group family, Ecology ranks #10 of 31 by headcount, accounting for 1.5% of the family's combined 67,961 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.