Geophysics
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Geophysics occupation series (code 1313): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
Geophysics is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 360 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Physical Sciences Group family. At an average salary of $150,639 it pays well above the federal average of $117,339, and headcount declined 0.6% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 360
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $150,639
- Avg tenure
- 15.9 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Geophysics
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 360 people work in the Geophysics occupation (OPM code 1313) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -0.6% 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 Geophysics is $150,639 per year. Salaries moved down by -0.1% 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 15.9 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
Geophysics sits inside the Physical Sciences Group family (code 13), which contains 25 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Geophysics postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Within the Physical Sciences Group family, Geophysics ranks #14 of 25 by headcount, accounting for 1.3% of the family's combined 26,960 employees.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Geophysics pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$150,639
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+28.4%
Where Geophysics ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $150,639 is higher than 89% of federal occupation series (479 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Geophysics sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Geophysics ranks higher than 89%.
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 occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Geophysics outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (360 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($150,639 here).
Key takeaways
- Geophysics pays well above the federal average by 28.4% ($150,639 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 89th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 360 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.6% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Geophysics ranks #340 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Physical Sciences Group family, Geophysics ranks #14 of 25 by headcount, accounting for 1.3% of the family's combined 26,960 employees.
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.