Oiler
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Oiler occupation series (code 9960).
The verdict
In the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Oiler counts 16 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 6.7% from the prior period; pay averages $49,715, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 16
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $49,715
- Avg tenure
- 7.1 yrs
FedScope read on Oiler (thin series)
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Oiler occupation (OPM code 9960): 16 people, headcount up 6.7% versus 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.
The average salary for Oiler is $49,715 per year. Salaries moved down by -0.4% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. Average length of service in this role is 7.1 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce.
The Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99) groups Oiler together with 54 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Oiler postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), Oiler holds the #50 spot by headcount, a 0.2% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Oiler pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$49,715
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-57.6%
Where Oiler ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $49,715 is higher than 6% of federal occupation series (30 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Oiler sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Oiler ranks higher than 6%.
Related Occupations in Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System)
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steward Utilityman | 646 | n/a | 5.1 yrs |
| Ordinary Seaman | 619 | $42,990 | 2.5 yrs |
| Able Seaman-Maintenance | 556 | n/a | 11.2 yrs |
| Wiper | 449 | $42,656 | 2.9 yrs |
| Able Seaman | 338 | $51,760 | 12.1 yrs |
| Engine Utilityman | 283 | n/a | 8.5 yrs |
| Third Officer | 249 | n/a | 4.2 yrs |
| Boatswain's Mate | 199 | $60,969 | 16.9 yrs |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 194 | n/a | 6.1 yrs |
| Second Assistant Engineer | 186 | $107,628 | 13.5 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Oiler outside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (16 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($49,715 here).
Key takeaways
- Oiler pays below the federal average by 57.6% ($49,715 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 6th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 16 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 6.7% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Oiler ranks #614 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), Oiler holds the #50 spot by headcount, a 0.2% share of the family total.
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.