First Officer
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the First Officer occupation series (code 9905): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 81 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), First Officer ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family. Its average salary of $85,800 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 81
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $85,800
- Avg tenure
- 10.9 yrs
FedScope read on First Officer (thin series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 81 people work in the First Officer occupation (OPM code 9905) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved sideways by 0.0% 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.
The average salary for First Officer is $85,800 per year. Salaries moved down by 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. Average length of service in this role is 10.9 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 Officer together with 54 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for First Officer 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 Officer holds the #26 spot by headcount, a 1.2% share of the family total.
Salary Context
How First Officer pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$85,800
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-26.9%
Where First Officer ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $85,800 is higher than 42% of federal occupation series (225 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where First Officer sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; First Officer ranks higher than 42%.
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 Officer 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 (81 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($85,800 here).
Key takeaways
- First Officer pays below the federal average by 26.9% ($85,800 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 42nd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 81 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, First Officer ranks #490 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 Officer holds the #26 spot by headcount, a 1.2% 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.