Third Officer
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Third Officer occupation series (code 9907): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Third Officer counts 249 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 3.3% from the prior period; pay averages n/a, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 249
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- n/a
- Avg tenure
- 4.2 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Third Officer
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 249 people work in the Third Officer occupation (OPM code 9907) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 3.3% 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.
The average salary for Third Officer is n/a per year. Salaries moved down by 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. Average length of service in this role is 4.2 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce.
Third Officer sits inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99), which contains 55 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Third Officer postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Third Officer makes up 3.7% of the 6,786 employees across the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, ranking #7 of 55 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Third Officer pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
n/a
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-100.0%
Where Third Officer 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 Third Officer sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Third Officer ranks higher than 0%.
Related Occupations in Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System)
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steward Utilityman | 646 | n/a | 5.1 yrs |
| Ordinary Seaman | 619 | $42,990 | 2.5 yrs |
| Able Seaman-Maintenance | 556 | n/a | 11.2 yrs |
| Wiper | 449 | $42,656 | 2.9 yrs |
| Able Seaman | 338 | $51,760 | 12.1 yrs |
| Engine Utilityman | 283 | n/a | 8.5 yrs |
| Boatswain's Mate | 199 | $60,969 | 16.9 yrs |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 194 | n/a | 6.1 yrs |
| Second Assistant Engineer | 186 | $107,628 | 13.5 yrs |
| Third Assistant Engineer | 184 | $95,672 | 6.9 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Third Officer outside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (249 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families (n/a here).
Key takeaways
- Third Officer 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: 249 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 3.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Third Officer ranks #385 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Third Officer makes up 3.7% of the 6,786 employees across the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, ranking #7 of 55 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.