Physical Science Technician

What the Numbers Say About Physical Science Technician

Federal agencies employ 1,794 people in the Physical Science Technician occupation (OPM code 1311), accounting for 0.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -2.6% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

Average tenure in Physical Science Technician runs 11.4 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $83,137 per year, 24.3% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 3.8% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce.

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, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Within the Physical Sciences Group family, Physical Science Technician ranks #6 of 25 by headcount, accounting for 5.5% of the family's combined 32,337 employees. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (12th percentile) of pay among Physical Sciences Group occupations.