Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work occupation series (code 5001), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 249 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Plant and Animal Work Family family, and headcount grew 5.1% from the prior period. Its average salary of $68,338 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 249
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $68,338
- Avg tenure
- 9.3 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 249 people work in the Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work occupation (OPM code 5001) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 5.1% 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.
Average tenure in Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work runs 9.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $68,338 per year, down -0.7% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.
Code 50, the Plant and Animal Work Family family, is where the federal government classifies Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work alongside 6 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Plant and Animal Work Family family.
Within the Plant and Animal Work Family family, Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks #4 of 7 by headcount, accounting for 16.9% of the family's combined 1,470 employees.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$68,338
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-41.8%
Where Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $68,338 is higher than 24% of federal occupation series (129 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks higher than 24%.
Related Occupations in Plant and Animal Work Family
6 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardening | 465 | $67,401 | 11.9 yrs |
| Animal Caretaking | 307 | $58,156 | 8.7 yrs |
| Pest Controlling | 289 | $72,091 | 13 yrs |
| Insects Production Working | 97 | $55,565 | 8.6 yrs |
| Tree Trimming and Removing | 62 | $75,736 | 10 yrs |
| Farming | 1 | $71,083 | 28.5 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work outside the Plant and Animal Work Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (249 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($68,338 here).
Key takeaways
- Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work pays below the federal average by 41.8% ($68,338 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 24th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 249 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 5.1% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks #383 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Plant and Animal Work Family family, Miscellaneous Plant and Animal Work ranks #4 of 7 by headcount, accounting for 16.9% of the family's combined 1,470 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.