Lock and Dam Operating
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Lock and Dam Operating occupation series (code 5426): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
With 1,197 employees (0.1% of the federal civilian workforce), Lock and Dam Operating ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, and headcount declined 0.1% from the prior period. Its average salary of $68,109 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 1,197
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $68,109
- Avg tenure
- 13.2 yrs
FedScope read on Lock and Dam Operating (dense series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 1,197 people work in the Lock and Dam Operating occupation (OPM code 5426) across federal agencies, 0.1% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -0.1% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Average tenure in Lock and Dam Operating runs 13.2 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $68,109 per year, up 1.2% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.
Lock and Dam Operating sits inside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (code 54), which contains 12 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Lock and Dam Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family.
Within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Lock and Dam Operating is the single largest occupation by headcount, accounting for 24.9% of the family's combined 4,810 employees. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (8th percentile) of pay among Industrial Equipment Operation Family occupations.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Lock and Dam Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$68,109
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-42.0%
Where Lock and Dam Operating ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $68,109 is higher than 23% of federal occupation series (126 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Lock and Dam Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Lock and Dam Operating ranks higher than 23%.
Related Occupations in Industrial Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Plant Operating | 762 | $76,211 | 12.8 yrs |
| Electrical Power Controlling | 711 | $156,821 | 17.5 yrs |
| Fuel Distribution System Operating | 700 | $81,595 | 11.2 yrs |
| Utility Systems Operating | 419 | $75,930 | 12.5 yrs |
| Water Treatment Plant Operating | 265 | $89,105 | 12.2 yrs |
| Sewage Disposal Plant Operating | 235 | $78,823 | 12.3 yrs |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Operation | 184 | $95,593 | 15.9 yrs |
| Sandblasting | 153 | $65,089 | 12 yrs |
| Air Conditioning Equipment Operating | 130 | $76,659 | 15.2 yrs |
| Packaging Machine Operating | 27 | $75,706 | 17.7 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Lock and Dam Operating outside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,197 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($68,109 here).
Key takeaways
- Lock and Dam Operating pays below the federal average by 42.0% ($68,109 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 23rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,197 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.1% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Lock and Dam Operating ranks #196 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Lock and Dam Operating is the single largest occupation by headcount, accounting for 24.9% of the family's combined 4,810 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.