Microbiology
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Microbiology occupation series (code 0403), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
Microbiology is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 1,629 employees (0.1% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Biological Sciences Group family. At an average salary of $143,306 it pays above the federal average of $117,339, and headcount declined 3.1% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 1,629
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $143,306
- Avg tenure
- 16.3 yrs
FedScope read on Microbiology (dense series)
0.1% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Microbiology occupation (OPM code 0403): 1,629 people, headcount down -3.1% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Average tenure in Microbiology runs 16.3 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $143,306 per year, up 0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Microbiology together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Microbiology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Microbiology makes up 2.4% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #7 of 31 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the top half (84th percentile) of pay among Biological Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Microbiology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$143,306
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+22.1%
Where Microbiology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $143,306 is higher than 85% of federal occupation series (458 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Microbiology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Microbiology ranks higher than 85%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Wildlife Biology | 1,868 | $95,468 | 16.3 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
| Rangeland Management | 692 | $88,317 | 14.6 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Microbiology outside the Biological 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 (1,629 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($143,306 here).
Key takeaways
- Microbiology pays above the federal average by 22.1% ($143,306 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 85th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,629 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 3.1% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Microbiology ranks #168 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Microbiology makes up 2.4% of the 67,961 employees across the Biological Sciences Group family, ranking #7 of 31 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.