Pharmacology
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Pharmacology occupation series (code 0405).
The verdict
In the Biological Sciences Group family, Pharmacology counts 582 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.7% from the prior period; pay averages $187,111, which pays well above the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 582
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $187,111
- Avg tenure
- 14.1 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Pharmacology
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 582 people work in the Pharmacology occupation (OPM code 0405) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -1.7% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
The average salary for Pharmacology is $187,111 per year. Salaries moved up by 0.1% 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 14.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Pharmacology sits inside the Biological Sciences Group family (code 04), which contains 31 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Pharmacology postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Pharmacology holds the #13 spot by headcount, a 0.9% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the top half (97th percentile) of pay among Biological Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Pharmacology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$187,111
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+59.5%
Where Pharmacology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $187,111 is higher than 98% of federal occupation series (529 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Pharmacology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Pharmacology ranks higher than 98%.
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 |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Pharmacology outside the Biological 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 (582 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($187,111 here).
Key takeaways
- Pharmacology pays well above the federal average by 59.5% ($187,111 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 98th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 582 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.7% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Pharmacology ranks #274 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Pharmacology holds the #13 spot by headcount, a 0.9% 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.