Powered Support Systems Mechanic
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Powered Support Systems Mechanic occupation series (code 5378): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family, Powered Support Systems Mechanic counts 1,423 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.4% from the prior period; pay averages $79,568, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 1,423
- Share of workforce
- 0.1%
- Avg salary
- $79,568
- Avg tenure
- 12.1 yrs
FedScope read on Powered Support Systems Mechanic (dense series)
Federal agencies employ 1,423 people in the Powered Support Systems Mechanic occupation (OPM code 5378), 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 up by 0.4% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Average tenure in Powered Support Systems Mechanic runs 12.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $79,568 per year, up 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.
Powered Support Systems Mechanic sits inside the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family (code 53), which contains 12 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Powered Support Systems Mechanic postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family.
Inside the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family (12 occupations, 9,873 employees combined), Powered Support Systems Mechanic holds the #3 spot by headcount, a 14.4% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (18th percentile) of pay among Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family occupations.
Salary Context
How Powered Support Systems Mechanic pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$79,568
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-32.2%
Where Powered Support Systems Mechanic ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $79,568 is higher than 35% of federal occupation series (192 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Powered Support Systems Mechanic sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Powered Support Systems Mechanic ranks higher than 35%.
Related Occupations in Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Machinery Mechanic | 2,930 | $82,216 | 9.9 yrs |
| Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic | 2,341 | $81,732 | 10.7 yrs |
| Industrial Equipment Mechanic | 1,058 | $110,522 | 14.6 yrs |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Maintenance | 846 | $96,979 | 14.3 yrs |
| Production Machinery Mechanic | 562 | $80,047 | 12.8 yrs |
| Lock and Dam Repairing | 430 | $121,526 | 16.1 yrs |
| Heating & Boiler Plant Equipmt Mechanic | 232 | $79,114 | 12.5 yrs |
| Laundry & Dry Cleaning Equipmt Repairing | 22 | $79,576 | 17.9 yrs |
| Oiling and Greasing | 19 | $69,636 | 14.7 yrs |
| Elevator Mechanic | 7 | $81,184 | 20.2 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Powered Support Systems Mechanic outside the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (1,423 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($79,568 here).
Key takeaways
- Powered Support Systems Mechanic pays below the federal average by 32.2% ($79,568 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 35th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 1,423 employees, 0.1% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.4% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Powered Support Systems Mechanic ranks #181 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Industrial Equipment Maintenance Family family (12 occupations, 9,873 employees combined), Powered Support Systems Mechanic holds the #3 spot by headcount, a 14.4% 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.