Geodesy
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Geodesy occupation series (code 1372): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
Geodesy is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 54 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Physical Sciences Group family. At an average salary of $157,788 it pays well above the federal average of $117,339, and headcount grew 1.9% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 54
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $157,788
- Avg tenure
- 16.1 yrs
FedScope read on Geodesy (thin series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 54 people work in the Geodesy occupation (OPM code 1372) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 1.9% 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.
Average tenure in Geodesy runs 16.1 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $157,788 per year, down -0.4% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
The Physical Sciences Group family (code 13) groups Geodesy together with 24 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Geodesy postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Geodesy makes up 0.2% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #21 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Geodesy pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$157,788
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+34.5%
Where Geodesy ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $157,788 is higher than 92% of federal occupation series (498 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Geodesy sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Geodesy ranks higher than 92%.
Related Occupations in Physical Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Physical Science | 8,297 | $145,078 | 14.6 yrs |
| Chemistry | 4,440 | $149,099 | 14.9 yrs |
| Meteorology | 2,494 | $123,942 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physics | 2,009 | $174,005 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physical Science Technician | 1,577 | $78,820 | 13.3 yrs |
| Hydrology | 1,524 | $116,486 | 17.1 yrs |
| Hydrologic Technician | 1,356 | $76,077 | 12.9 yrs |
| Geology | 1,240 | $124,746 | 14 yrs |
| Health Physics | 746 | $146,649 | 16.4 yrs |
| Cartography | 487 | $120,890 | 16.3 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Geodesy outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (54 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($157,788 here).
Key takeaways
- Geodesy pays well above the federal average by 34.5% ($157,788 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 92nd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 54 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.9% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Geodesy ranks #535 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Geodesy makes up 0.2% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #21 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount.
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.