Sandblasting

What the Numbers Say About Sandblasting

Federal agencies employ 173 people in the Sandblasting occupation (OPM code 5423), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -7.0% 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.

Sandblasting pays $60,898 per year on average, 44.6% below the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving up 1.0% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 11.1 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, 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 Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (12 occupations, 5,157 employees combined), Sandblasting holds the #9 spot by headcount, a 3.4% share of the family total.