Platemaking
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Platemaking occupation series (code 4416), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 15 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Platemaking ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Printing Family family. Its average salary of $115,980 pays near the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 15
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $115,980
- Avg tenure
- 19.3 yrs
FedScope read on Platemaking (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 15 people in the Platemaking occupation (OPM code 4416), 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 Platemaking runs 19.3 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $115,980 per year, down 0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
The Printing Family family (code 44) groups Platemaking together with 8 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Platemaking postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Printing Family family.
Within the Printing Family family, Platemaking ranks #8 of 9 by headcount, accounting for 1.5% of the family's combined 994 employees.
Salary Context
How Platemaking pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$115,980
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-1.2%
Where Platemaking ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $115,980 is higher than 64% of federal occupation series (347 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Platemaking sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Platemaking ranks higher than 64%.
Related Occupations in Printing Family
8 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bindery Working | 256 | $103,645 | 12.8 yrs |
| Miscellaneous Printing and Reproduction | 189 | $85,576 | 16 yrs |
| Letterpress Operating | 180 | $137,778 | 12 yrs |
| Hand Composing | 135 | $102,719 | 15.2 yrs |
| Intaglio Press Operating | 119 | $137,286 | 13.2 yrs |
| Offset Press Operating | 56 | $118,773 | 19.4 yrs |
| Bookbinding | 29 | $124,878 | 14 yrs |
| Electrolytic Intaglio Platemaking | 15 | $142,639 | 20.1 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Platemaking outside the Printing 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 (15 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($115,980 here).
Key takeaways
- Platemaking pays near the federal average by 1.2% ($115,980 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 64th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 15 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Platemaking ranks #618 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Printing Family family, Platemaking ranks #8 of 9 by headcount, accounting for 1.5% of the family's combined 994 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.