Purser

What the Numbers Say About Purser

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 54 people work in the Purser occupation (OPM code 9988) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 3.8% from 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 Purser runs 15.8 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement. Pay averages $103,726 per year, 5.6% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and 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.

The Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99) groups Purser together with 50 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Purser postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (51 occupations, 6,135 employees combined), Purser holds the #33 spot by headcount, a 0.9% share of the family total.