Physics
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Physics occupation series (code 1310), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Physical Sciences Group family, Physics counts 2,009 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.2% from the prior period; pay averages $174,005, which pays well above the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 2,009
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $174,005
- Avg tenure
- 15.9 yrs
FedScope read on Physics (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 2,009 people in the Physics occupation (OPM code 1310), 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 down by -1.2% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Physics pays $174,005 per year on average, moving down -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). Employees in this role stay an average of 15.9 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
Code 13, the Physical Sciences Group family, is where the federal government classifies Physics alongside 24 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Physics postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Physical Sciences Group family.
Physics makes up 7.5% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #4 of 25 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the top half (92nd percentile) of pay among Physical Sciences Group occupations.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Physics pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$174,005
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+48.3%
Where Physics ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $174,005 is higher than 97% of federal occupation series (523 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Physics sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Physics ranks higher than 97%.
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 |
| Physical Science Technician | 1,577 | $78,820 | 13.3 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 Physics 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 (2,009 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($174,005 here).
Key takeaways
- Physics pays well above the federal average by 48.3% ($174,005 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 97th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 2,009 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.2% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Physics ranks #152 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Physics makes up 7.5% of the 26,960 employees across the Physical Sciences Group family, ranking #4 of 25 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.