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 edged down from the prior period. Its average salary of $68,109 pays below the federal average.
- Headcount change
- -0.1%
- Pay change
- +1.2%
- Avg tenure
- 13.2 yrs
- Rank in family
- #1 of 12
FedScope read on Lock and Dam Operating (dense series)
For job seekers weighing career length: this series shows a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Headcount moved down versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path. As for pay, the latest move was 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. The Industrial Equipment Operation Family family totals 4,810 employees, and Lock and Dam Operating accounts for 24.9% of them. 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
Occupation Average
$68,109
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-42.0%
Where Lock and Dam Operating ranks on lean federal pay
Lock and Dam Operating earns more on average 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; the highlighted bar marks Lock and Dam Operating.
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
- Place Lock and Dam Operating pay in context with the pay-rank chart above, then compare it with another occupation.
- Turn an average salary into a grade: the GS pay grade tables show how grades and steps map to pay.
- Browse the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family occupations in the table above, or search current Lock and Dam Operating postings on USAJOBS.
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.