Research Laboratory Mechanic
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Research Laboratory Mechanic occupation series (code 4745), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 8 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Research Laboratory Mechanic ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the General Maintenance and Operations Work Family family. Its average salary of $83,825 pays below the federal average.
- Headcount change
- 0.0%
- Pay change
- 0.0%
- Avg tenure
- 13 yrs
- Rank in family
- #10 of 10
FedScope read on Research Laboratory Mechanic (thin series)
On pay, the move between reporting periods was a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. On length of service, this series shows a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Headcount moved sideways 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.
The General Maintenance and Operations Work Family family (code 47) groups Research Laboratory Mechanic together with 9 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Research Laboratory Mechanic postings should also review these sibling occupations in the General Maintenance and Operations Work Family family. The General Maintenance and Operations Work Family family totals 15,982 employees, and Research Laboratory Mechanic accounts for 0.1% of them.
Salary Context
How Research Laboratory Mechanic pay compares to the federal average
Occupation Average
$83,825
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-28.6%
Where Research Laboratory Mechanic ranks on federal pay
Research Laboratory Mechanic earns more on average than 39% of federal occupation series (213 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Research Laboratory Mechanic sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; the highlighted bar marks Research Laboratory Mechanic.
Related Occupations in General Maintenance and Operations Work Family
9 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Mechanic | 10,441 | $73,094 | 11.9 yrs |
| Misc General Maintenance & Operations Work | 2,599 | $93,724 | 16.5 yrs |
| Utility Systems Repairing-Operating | 1,983 | $84,204 | 13.2 yrs |
| Cemetery Caretaking | 644 | $63,552 | 8.6 yrs |
| General Equipment Mechanic | 140 | $75,100 | 15.4 yrs |
| Model Making | 91 | $93,472 | 14.8 yrs |
| Boat Building and Repairing | 34 | $74,449 | 13.3 yrs |
| General Equipment Operating | 26 | $81,524 | 18.2 yrs |
| Exhibits Making/modeling | 16 | n/a | 17.5 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Research Laboratory Mechanic outside the General Maintenance and Operations 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 average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($83,825 here).
Key takeaways
- Place Research Laboratory Mechanic pay in context with the pay-rank chart above, then compare it with another occupation.
- Turn an average salary into a grade: the GS pay grade tables show how grades and steps map to pay.
- Browse the General Maintenance and Operations Work Family family occupations in the table above, or search current Research Laboratory Mechanic postings on USAJOBS.
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.