Special Weapons Systems Mechanic
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Special Weapons Systems Mechanic occupation series (code 6656), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
Special Weapons Systems Mechanic is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 38 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Armament Work Family family. At an average salary of n/a it pays below the federal average of $117,339, and headcount grew 15.2% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 38
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- n/a
- Avg tenure
- 13.9 yrs
FedScope read on Special Weapons Systems Mechanic (thin series)
Federal agencies employ 38 people in the Special Weapons Systems Mechanic occupation (OPM code 6656), 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 15.2% 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.
Average tenure in Special Weapons Systems Mechanic runs 13.9 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages n/a per year, down 0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change.
Special Weapons Systems Mechanic sits inside the Armament Work Family family (code 66), which contains 6 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Special Weapons Systems Mechanic postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Armament Work Family family.
Inside the Armament Work Family family (6 occupations, 1,944 employees combined), Special Weapons Systems Mechanic holds the #6 spot by headcount, a 2.0% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Special Weapons Systems Mechanic pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
n/a
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-100.0%
Where Special Weapons Systems Mechanic ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of n/a is higher than 0% of federal occupation series (0 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Special Weapons Systems Mechanic sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Special Weapons Systems Mechanic ranks higher than 0%.
Related Occupations in Armament Work Family
5 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Ordnance Systems Mechanic | 746 | n/a | 12.2 yrs |
| Ordnance Equipment Mechanic | 520 | $88,007 | 11.8 yrs |
| Small Arms Repairing | 428 | n/a | 11.7 yrs |
| Artillery Repairing | 144 | n/a | 11.1 yrs |
| Miscellaneous Armament Work | 68 | n/a | 12.1 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this thin headcount
Two peer sets for Special Weapons Systems Mechanic outside the Armament Work Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar thin headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (38 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families (n/a here).
Key takeaways
- Special Weapons Systems Mechanic pays below the federal average by 100.0% (n/a vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 0th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 38 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 15.2% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Special Weapons Systems Mechanic ranks #561 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Armament Work Family family (6 occupations, 1,944 employees combined), Special Weapons Systems Mechanic holds the #6 spot by headcount, a 2.0% 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.