Ordinary Seaman
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Ordinary Seaman occupation series (code 9928).
The verdict
In the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Ordinary Seaman counts 619 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 2.5% from the prior period; pay averages $42,990, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 619
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $42,990
- Avg tenure
- 2.5 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Ordinary Seaman
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 619 people work in the Ordinary Seaman occupation (OPM code 9928) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -2.5% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Ordinary Seaman pays $42,990 per year on average, moving down 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). Employees in this role stay an average of 2.5 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 Ordinary Seaman together with 54 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Ordinary Seaman postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Ordinary Seaman makes up 9.1% of the 6,786 employees across the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, ranking #2 of 55 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (10th percentile) of pay among Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) occupations.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Ordinary Seaman pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$42,990
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-63.4%
Where Ordinary Seaman ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $42,990 is higher than 2% of federal occupation series (9 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Ordinary Seaman sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Ordinary Seaman ranks higher than 2%.
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 |
| 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 |
| Third Assistant Engineer | 184 | $95,672 | 6.9 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Ordinary Seaman 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 headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (619 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($42,990 here).
Key takeaways
- Ordinary Seaman pays below the federal average by 63.4% ($42,990 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 2nd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 619 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 2.5% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Ordinary Seaman ranks #268 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Ordinary Seaman makes up 9.1% of the 6,786 employees across the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, ranking #2 of 55 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.