Oceanography
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Oceanography occupation series (code 1360).
The verdict
With 379 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Oceanography ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Physical Sciences Group family, and headcount declined 1.3% from the prior period. Its average salary of $155,653 pays well above the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 379
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $155,653
- Avg tenure
- 16.2 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Oceanography
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 379 people work in the Oceanography occupation (OPM code 1360) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -1.3% 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 Oceanography runs 16.2 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $155,653 per year, down -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.
The Physical Sciences Group family (code 13) groups Oceanography together with 24 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Oceanography postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Oceanography makes up 1.4% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #13 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Oceanography pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$155,653
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+32.7%
Where Oceanography ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $155,653 is higher than 91% of federal occupation series (491 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Oceanography sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Oceanography ranks higher than 91%.
Related Occupations in Physical Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Physical Science | 8,297 | $145,078 | 14.6 yrs |
| Chemistry | 4,440 | $149,099 | 14.9 yrs |
| Meteorology | 2,494 | $123,942 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physics | 2,009 | $174,005 | 15.9 yrs |
| Physical Science Technician | 1,577 | $78,820 | 13.3 yrs |
| Hydrology | 1,524 | $116,486 | 17.1 yrs |
| Hydrologic Technician | 1,356 | $76,077 | 12.9 yrs |
| Geology | 1,240 | $124,746 | 14 yrs |
| Health Physics | 746 | $146,649 | 16.4 yrs |
| Cartography | 487 | $120,890 | 16.3 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Oceanography outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (379 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($155,653 here).
Key takeaways
- Oceanography pays well above the federal average by 32.7% ($155,653 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 91st percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 379 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Oceanography ranks #326 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Oceanography makes up 1.4% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #13 of 25 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.