Sewage Disposal Plant Operating
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Sewage Disposal Plant Operating occupation series (code 5408).
The verdict
With 235 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Sewage Disposal Plant Operating ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, and headcount declined 0.8% from the prior period. Its average salary of $78,823 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 235
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $78,823
- Avg tenure
- 12.3 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Sewage Disposal Plant Operating
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 235 people work in the Sewage Disposal Plant Operating occupation (OPM code 5408) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -0.8% 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 Sewage Disposal Plant Operating runs 12.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $78,823 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.
Sewage Disposal Plant Operating sits inside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (code 54), which contains 12 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Sewage Disposal Plant Operating 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), Sewage Disposal Plant Operating holds the #7 spot by headcount, a 4.9% share of the family total.
Salary Context
How Sewage Disposal Plant Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$78,823
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-32.8%
Where Sewage Disposal Plant Operating ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $78,823 is higher than 35% of federal occupation series (190 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Sewage Disposal Plant Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Sewage Disposal Plant Operating ranks higher than 35%.
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 |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Operation | 184 | $95,593 | 15.9 yrs |
| Sandblasting | 153 | $65,089 | 12 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 Sewage Disposal Plant Operating 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 (235 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($78,823 here).
Key takeaways
- Sewage Disposal Plant Operating pays below the federal average by 32.8% ($78,823 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 35th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 235 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.8% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Sewage Disposal Plant Operating ranks #391 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), Sewage Disposal Plant Operating holds the #7 spot by headcount, a 4.9% 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.