Geology
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Geology occupation series (code 1350): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 1,240 employees (0.1% of the federal civilian workforce), Geology ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Physical Sciences Group family, and headcount grew 0.2% from the prior period. Its average salary of $124,746 pays near the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 1,240
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $124,746
- Avg tenure
- 14 yrs
FedScope read on Geology (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 1,240 people in the Geology occupation (OPM code 1350), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 0.2% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The average salary for Geology is $124,746 per year. Salaries moved up by 0.2% 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 14 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Physical Sciences Group family (code 13) groups Geology together with 24 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Geology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Geology makes up 4.6% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #8 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (38th percentile) of pay among Physical Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Geology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$124,746
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+6.3%
Where Geology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $124,746 is higher than 71% of federal occupation series (385 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Geology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Geology ranks higher than 71%.
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 |
| Health Physics | 746 | $146,649 | 16.4 yrs |
| Cartography | 487 | $120,890 | 16.3 yrs |
| Astronomy and Space Science | 416 | $177,819 | 18 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Geology outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,240 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($124,746 here).
Key takeaways
- Geology pays near the federal average by 6.3% ($124,746 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 71st percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,240 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.2% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Geology ranks #193 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Geology makes up 4.6% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #8 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.