Sandblasting
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Sandblasting occupation series (code 5423), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
In the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Sandblasting counts 153 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.6% from the prior period; pay averages $65,089, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 153
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $65,089
- Avg tenure
- 12 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Sandblasting
Federal agencies employ 153 people in the Sandblasting occupation (OPM code 5423), 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 down by -0.6% 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.
Sandblasting pays $65,089 per year on average, moving down -1.2% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 12 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Code 54, the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Sandblasting alongside 11 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Sandblasting postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family.
Inside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (12 occupations, 4,810 employees combined), Sandblasting holds the #9 spot by headcount, a 3.2% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Sandblasting pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$65,089
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-44.5%
Where Sandblasting ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $65,089 is higher than 20% of federal occupation series (108 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Sandblasting sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Sandblasting ranks higher than 20%.
Related Occupations in Industrial Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock and Dam Operating | 1,197 | $68,109 | 13.2 yrs |
| Boiler Plant Operating | 762 | $76,211 | 12.8 yrs |
| Electrical Power Controlling | 711 | $156,821 | 17.5 yrs |
| Fuel Distribution System Operating | 700 | $81,595 | 11.2 yrs |
| Utility Systems Operating | 419 | $75,930 | 12.5 yrs |
| Water Treatment Plant Operating | 265 | $89,105 | 12.2 yrs |
| Sewage Disposal Plant Operating | 235 | $78,823 | 12.3 yrs |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Operation | 184 | $95,593 | 15.9 yrs |
| Air Conditioning Equipment Operating | 130 | $76,659 | 15.2 yrs |
| Packaging Machine Operating | 27 | $75,706 | 17.7 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Sandblasting outside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (153 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($65,089 here).
Key takeaways
- Sandblasting pays below the federal average by 44.5% ($65,089 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 20th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 153 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.6% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Sandblasting ranks #434 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (12 occupations, 4,810 employees combined), Sandblasting holds the #9 spot by headcount, a 3.2% 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.