Small Craft Operating
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Small Craft Operating occupation series (code 5786): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, Small Craft Operating counts 225 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.4% from the prior period; pay averages $76,720, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 225
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $76,720
- Avg tenure
- 12.5 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Small Craft Operating
Federal agencies employ 225 people in the Small Craft Operating occupation (OPM code 5786), 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 up by 0.4% 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.
Small Craft Operating pays $76,720 per year on average, moving up 0.3% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 12.5 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family (code 57) groups Small Craft Operating together with 14 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Small Craft Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family.
Small Craft Operating makes up 2.4% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #6 of 15 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary Context
How Small Craft Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$76,720
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-34.6%
Where Small Craft Operating ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $76,720 is higher than 33% of federal occupation series (181 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Small Craft Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Small Craft Operating ranks higher than 33%.
Related Occupations in Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Operating | 4,012 | $61,944 | 12.6 yrs |
| Engineering Equipment Operating | 2,691 | $78,062 | 13.2 yrs |
| Crane Operating | 616 | $90,118 | 13.9 yrs |
| Misc Transportation/mobile Equipment Oper | 512 | $60,267 | 13 yrs |
| Tractor Operating | 437 | $60,593 | 11.6 yrs |
| Deckhand | 192 | $66,505 | 7.3 yrs |
| Ship Operating | 129 | $101,346 | 14.4 yrs |
| Fork Lift Operating | 126 | $67,848 | 12.4 yrs |
| Riverboat Operating | 120 | n/a | 15 yrs |
| Drill Rig Operating | 78 | $75,988 | 10.3 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Small Craft Operating outside the Transportation/mobile 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 (225 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($76,720 here).
Key takeaways
- Small Craft Operating pays below the federal average by 34.6% ($76,720 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 33rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 225 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.4% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Small Craft Operating ranks #397 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Small Craft Operating makes up 2.4% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #6 of 15 occupations in that family by headcount.
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.