Plant Physiology
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Plant Physiology occupation series (code 0435).
The verdict
Plant Physiology is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 62 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Biological Sciences Group family. At an average salary of $140,918 it pays above the federal average of $117,339.
- Employees
- 62
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $140,918
- Avg tenure
- 17.2 yrs
FedScope read on Plant Physiology (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 62 people in the Plant Physiology occupation (OPM code 0435), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved sideways by 0.0% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
Average tenure in Plant Physiology runs 17.2 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $140,918 per year, up 0.8% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Plant Physiology together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Plant Physiology 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), Plant Physiology holds the #29 spot by headcount, a 0.1% share of the family total.
Salary context · rich-pay series
How Plant Physiology pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$140,918
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
+20.1%
Where Plant Physiology ranks on rich federal pay
Its average salary of $140,918 is higher than 83% of federal occupation series (448 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Plant Physiology sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Plant Physiology ranks higher than 83%.
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 peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Plant Physiology outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (62 here).
Similar rich average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($140,918 here).
Key takeaways
- Plant Physiology pays above the federal average by 20.1% ($140,918 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 83rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 62 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Plant Physiology ranks #515 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), Plant Physiology holds the #29 spot by headcount, a 0.1% 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.