Fuel Distribution System Operating
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Fuel Distribution System Operating occupation series (code 5413): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Fuel Distribution System Operating counts 700 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount edged down from the prior period; pay averages $81,595, which pays below the federal-wide average.
- Headcount change
- -0.7%
- Pay change
- 0.0%
- Avg tenure
- 11.2 yrs
- Rank in family
- #4 of 12
What the Numbers Say About Fuel Distribution System Operating
Headcount moved down versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path. Pay moved sideways between the two reporting periods, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. On length of service, this series shows a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Code 54, the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Fuel Distribution System Operating alongside 11 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Fuel Distribution System Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family. The Industrial Equipment Operation Family family totals 4,810 employees, and Fuel Distribution System Operating accounts for 14.6% of them. Its average salary ranks in the top half (58th percentile) of pay among Industrial Equipment Operation Family occupations.
Salary Context
How Fuel Distribution System Operating pay compares to the federal average
Occupation Average
$81,595
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-30.5%
Where Fuel Distribution System Operating ranks on federal pay
Fuel Distribution System Operating earns more on average than 38% of federal occupation series (205 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Fuel Distribution System Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; the highlighted bar marks Fuel Distribution System Operating.
Related Occupations in Industrial Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock and Dam Operating | 1,197 | $68,109 | 13.2 yrs |
| Boiler Plant Operating | 762 | $76,211 | 12.8 yrs |
| Electrical Power Controlling | 711 | $156,821 | 17.5 yrs |
| Utility Systems Operating | 419 | $75,930 | 12.5 yrs |
| Water Treatment Plant Operating | 265 | $89,105 | 12.2 yrs |
| Sewage Disposal Plant Operating | 235 | $78,823 | 12.3 yrs |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Operation | 184 | $95,593 | 15.9 yrs |
| Sandblasting | 153 | $65,089 | 12 yrs |
| Air Conditioning Equipment Operating | 130 | $76,659 | 15.2 yrs |
| Packaging Machine Operating | 27 | $75,706 | 17.7 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Fuel Distribution System Operating outside the Industrial 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 (700 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($81,595 here).
Key takeaways
- Place Fuel Distribution System Operating pay in context with the pay-rank chart above, then compare it with another occupation.
- Turn an average salary into a grade: the GS pay grade tables show how grades and steps map to pay.
- Browse the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family occupations in the table above, or search current Fuel Distribution System Operating postings on USAJOBS.
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.