Utility Systems Operating

What the Numbers Say About Utility Systems Operating

0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (2,289,472 employees total, March 2025) works in the Utility Systems Operating occupation (OPM code 5406): 456 people, headcount up 12.0% 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.

The average salary for Utility Systems Operating is $73,935 per year, placing it 32.7% below the overall federal civilian average of $109,869. Salaries moved up by 1.5% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement. Average length of service in this role is 10.6 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.

Code 54, the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Utility Systems Operating alongside 11 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Utility Systems Operating 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 Industrial Equipment Operation Family family (12 occupations, 5,157 employees combined), Utility Systems Operating holds the #5 spot by headcount, a 8.8% share of the family total.