Explosives Operating
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Explosives Operating occupation series (code 6502), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 554 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Explosives Operating ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family, and headcount declined 1.6% from the prior period. Its average salary of n/a pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 554
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- n/a
- Avg tenure
- 11 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Explosives Operating
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Explosives Operating occupation (OPM code 6502): 554 people, headcount down -1.6% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Average tenure in Explosives Operating runs 11 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages n/a per year, down 0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
Code 65, the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family, is where the federal government classifies Explosives Operating alongside 3 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Explosives Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family.
Within the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family, Explosives Operating is one of the top 4 occupations by headcount (#2), accounting for 44.8% of the family's combined 1,236 employees.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Explosives Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
n/a
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-100.0%
Where Explosives Operating ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of n/a is higher than 0% of federal occupation series (0 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Explosives Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Explosives Operating ranks higher than 0%.
Related Occupations in Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family
3 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Misc Ammun, Explosives, & Toxic Mater Work | 557 | n/a | 11.2 yrs |
| Missile/toxic Materials Handling | 98 | n/a | 14.4 yrs |
| Munitions Destroying | 27 | n/a | 17.1 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Explosives Operating outside the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (554 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families (n/a here).
Key takeaways
- Explosives Operating pays below the federal average by 100.0% (n/a vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 0th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 554 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.6% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Explosives Operating ranks #285 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Ammunition, Explosives, and Toxic Materials Work Family family, Explosives Operating is one of the top 4 occupations by headcount (#2), accounting for 44.8% of the family's combined 1,236 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.