Tractor Operating
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Tractor Operating occupation series (code 5705): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, Tractor Operating counts 437 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.5% from the prior period; pay averages $60,593, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 437
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $60,593
- Avg tenure
- 11.6 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Tractor Operating
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 437 people work in the Tractor Operating occupation (OPM code 5705) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 0.5% 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 Tractor Operating runs 11.6 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $60,593 per year, down -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.
Tractor Operating sits inside the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family (code 57), which contains 15 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Tractor Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family.
Tractor Operating makes up 4.7% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #5 of 15 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Tractor Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$60,593
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-48.4%
Where Tractor Operating ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $60,593 is higher than 15% of federal occupation series (80 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Tractor Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Tractor Operating ranks higher than 15%.
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 |
| Small Craft Operating | 225 | $76,720 | 12.5 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 Tractor 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 (437 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($60,593 here).
Key takeaways
- Tractor Operating pays below the federal average by 48.4% ($60,593 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 15th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 437 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.5% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Tractor Operating ranks #305 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Tractor Operating makes up 4.7% of the 9,311 employees across the Transportation/mobile Equipment Operation Family family, ranking #5 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.