Geography

What the Numbers Say About Geography

0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (2,289,472 employees total, March 2025) works in the Geography occupation (OPM code 150): 1,094 people, headcount up 0.8% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

The average salary for Geography is $114,971 per year, placing it 4.6% above the overall federal civilian average of $109,869. Salaries moved up by 1.8% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement. Average length of service in this role is 12 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.

The Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (code 1) groups Geography together with 27 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Geography postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (28 occupations, 113,996 employees combined), Geography holds the #11 spot by headcount, a 1.0% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (43rd percentile) of pay among Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group occupations.