Physical Science Technician
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Physical Science Technician occupation series (code 1311), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Physical Sciences Group family, Physical Science Technician counts 1,577 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.3% from the prior period; pay averages $78,820, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 1,577
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $78,820
- Avg tenure
- 13.3 yrs
FedScope read on Physical Science Technician (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 1,577 people in the Physical Science Technician occupation (OPM code 1311), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved up by 0.3% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Average tenure in Physical Science Technician runs 13.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $78,820 per year, down -0.6% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.
The Physical Sciences Group family (code 13) groups Physical Science Technician together with 24 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Physical Science Technician postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Within the Physical Sciences Group family, Physical Science Technician ranks #5 of 25 by headcount, accounting for 5.8% of the family's combined 26,960 employees. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (13th percentile) of pay among Physical Sciences Group occupations.
Salary Context
How Physical Science Technician pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$78,820
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-32.8%
Where Physical Science Technician ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $78,820 is higher than 35% of federal occupation series (189 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Physical Science Technician sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Physical Science Technician ranks higher than 35%.
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 |
| 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 |
| Astronomy and Space Science | 416 | $177,819 | 18 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Physical Science Technician outside the Physical Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,577 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($78,820 here).
Key takeaways
- Physical Science Technician pays below the federal average by 32.8% ($78,820 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 35th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,577 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Physical Science Technician ranks #172 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Physical Sciences Group family, Physical Science Technician ranks #5 of 25 by headcount, accounting for 5.8% of the family's combined 26,960 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.