First Assistant Engineer
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the First Assistant Engineer occupation series (code 9932).
The verdict
With 101 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), First Assistant Engineer ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, and headcount grew 2.0% from the prior period. Its average salary of $118,474 pays near the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 101
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $118,474
- Avg tenure
- 13.6 yrs
FedScope read on First Assistant Engineer (thin series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 101 people work in the First Assistant Engineer occupation (OPM code 9932) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 2.0% 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.
First Assistant Engineer pays $118,474 per year on average, moving down -0.3% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 13.6 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99) groups First Assistant Engineer together with 54 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for First Assistant Engineer postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), First Assistant Engineer holds the #22 spot by headcount, a 1.5% share of the family total.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How First Assistant Engineer pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$118,474
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+1.0%
Where First Assistant Engineer ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $118,474 is higher than 66% of federal occupation series (358 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where First Assistant Engineer sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; First Assistant Engineer ranks higher than 66%.
Related Occupations in Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System)
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steward Utilityman | 646 | n/a | 5.1 yrs |
| Ordinary Seaman | 619 | $42,990 | 2.5 yrs |
| Able Seaman-Maintenance | 556 | n/a | 11.2 yrs |
| Wiper | 449 | $42,656 | 2.9 yrs |
| Able Seaman | 338 | $51,760 | 12.1 yrs |
| Engine Utilityman | 283 | n/a | 8.5 yrs |
| Third Officer | 249 | n/a | 4.2 yrs |
| Boatswain's Mate | 199 | $60,969 | 16.9 yrs |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 194 | n/a | 6.1 yrs |
| Second Assistant Engineer | 186 | $107,628 | 13.5 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for First Assistant Engineer outside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (101 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($118,474 here).
Key takeaways
- First Assistant Engineer pays near the federal average by 1.0% ($118,474 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 66th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 101 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 2.0% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, First Assistant Engineer ranks #476 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), First Assistant Engineer holds the #22 spot by headcount, a 1.5% share of the family total.
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.