Social Science Aid and Technician

What the Numbers Say About Social Science Aid and Technician

0.1% of the federal civilian workforce (2,289,472 employees total, March 2025) works in the Social Science Aid and Technician occupation (OPM code 102): 1,628 people, headcount down -12.1% versus the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

Average tenure in Social Science Aid and Technician runs 9.3 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $66,133 per year, 39.8% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 6.2% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce.

The Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (code 1) groups Social Science Aid and Technician together with 27 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Social Science Aid and Technician 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 Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group family (28 occupations, 113,996 employees combined), Social Science Aid and Technician holds the #10 spot by headcount, a 1.4% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (21st percentile) of pay among Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare Group occupations.