Plastering
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Plastering occupation series (code 3605), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Structural and Finishing Work Family family, Plastering counts 8 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce; pay averages $73,254, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 8
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $73,254
- Avg tenure
- 19.2 yrs
FedScope read on Plastering (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 8 people in the Plastering occupation (OPM code 3605), 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 Plastering runs 19.2 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $73,254 per year, up 0.2% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
The Structural and Finishing Work Family family (code 36) groups Plastering together with 6 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Plastering postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Structural and Finishing Work Family family.
Inside the Structural and Finishing Work Family family (7 occupations, 949 employees combined), Plastering holds the #7 spot by headcount, a 0.8% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Plastering pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$73,254
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-37.6%
Where Plastering ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $73,254 is higher than 30% of federal occupation series (161 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Plastering sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Plastering ranks higher than 30%.
Related Occupations in Structural and Finishing Work Family
6 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulating | 567 | $78,342 | 9.9 yrs |
| Masonry | 241 | $72,911 | 11.7 yrs |
| Miscellaneous Structural & Finishing Work | 47 | $95,000 | 14 yrs |
| Tile Setting | 38 | $99,467 | 12.9 yrs |
| Roofing | 38 | $80,318 | 11.2 yrs |
| Cement Finishing | 10 | n/a | 16.4 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Plastering outside the Structural and Finishing Work Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (8 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($73,254 here).
Key takeaways
- Plastering pays below the federal average by 37.6% ($73,254 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 30th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 8 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Plastering ranks #634 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Structural and Finishing Work Family family (7 occupations, 949 employees combined), Plastering holds the #7 spot by headcount, a 0.8% 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.