International Relations
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the International Relations occupation series (code 0131), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 334 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), International Relations ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family, and headcount declined 2.9% from the prior period. Its average salary of $158,321 pays well above the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 334
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $158,321
- Avg tenure
- 14.2 yrs
What the Numbers Say About International Relations
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 334 people work in the International Relations occupation (OPM code 0131) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -2.9% 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.
The average salary for International Relations is $158,321 per year. Salaries moved down 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 14.2 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 01) groups International Relations together with 28 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for International Relations postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family.
Inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (29 occupations, 101,196 employees combined), International Relations holds the #17 spot by headcount, a 0.3% share of the family total.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How International Relations pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$158,321
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+34.9%
Where International Relations ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $158,321 is higher than 92% of federal occupation series (500 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where International Relations sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; International Relations ranks higher than 92%.
Related Occupations in Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Insurance Administration | 24,044 | $105,855 | 17.7 yrs |
| Social Work | 22,339 | $112,147 | 10 yrs |
| Social Science | 13,513 | $109,039 | 11.8 yrs |
| Intelligence | 12,860 | n/a | 15 yrs |
| Psychology | 10,259 | $144,240 | 10.7 yrs |
| Economist | 3,774 | $158,425 | 14.1 yrs |
| Foreign Affairs | 2,748 | $155,920 | 14.4 yrs |
| Health Insurance Administration | 2,443 | $149,476 | 15.3 yrs |
| Social Science Aid and Technician | 1,534 | $67,632 | 12.4 yrs |
| Archeology | 1,448 | $91,675 | 12 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for International Relations outside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (334 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($158,321 here).
Key takeaways
- International Relations pays well above the federal average by 34.9% ($158,321 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 92nd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 334 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 2.9% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, International Relations ranks #351 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (29 occupations, 101,196 employees combined), International Relations holds the #17 spot by headcount, a 0.3% share of the family total.
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.