Wildlife Refuge Management
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Wildlife Refuge Management occupation series (code 0485): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Biological Sciences Group family, Wildlife Refuge Management counts 394 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.8% from the prior period; pay averages $113,356, which pays near the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 394
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $113,356
- Avg tenure
- 20 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Wildlife Refuge Management
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 394 people work in the Wildlife Refuge Management occupation (OPM code 0485) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 0.8% 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 Wildlife Refuge Management is $113,356 per year. Salaries moved down by -0.1% 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 20 years, a long average tenure, typical of career federal roles where employees stay through much of a full career before retirement.
The Biological Sciences Group family (code 04) groups Wildlife Refuge Management together with 30 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Wildlife Refuge Management postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Biological Sciences Group family.
Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Wildlife Refuge Management holds the #16 spot by headcount, a 0.6% share of the family total.
Salary Context
How Wildlife Refuge Management pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$113,356
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-3.4%
Where Wildlife Refuge Management ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $113,356 is higher than 62% of federal occupation series (338 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Wildlife Refuge Management sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Wildlife Refuge Management ranks higher than 62%.
Related Occupations in Biological Sciences Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences | 23,662 | $124,641 | 14 yrs |
| Forestry Technician | 11,090 | $61,659 | 8.7 yrs |
| Wildland Fire Management | 9,667 | $64,457 | 7 yrs |
| Biological Science Technician | 5,212 | $56,618 | 8.9 yrs |
| Soil Conservation | 4,101 | $89,391 | 13.8 yrs |
| Wildlife Biology | 1,868 | $95,468 | 16.3 yrs |
| Fish Biology | 1,629 | $116,550 | 16.2 yrs |
| Microbiology | 1,629 | $143,306 | 16.3 yrs |
| Forestry | 1,626 | $88,902 | 15.1 yrs |
| Ecology | 989 | $122,664 | 16.1 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Wildlife Refuge Management outside the Biological Sciences Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (394 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($113,356 here).
Key takeaways
- Wildlife Refuge Management pays near the federal average by 3.4% ($113,356 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 62nd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 394 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.8% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Wildlife Refuge Management ranks #320 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Biological Sciences Group family (31 occupations, 67,961 employees combined), Wildlife Refuge Management holds the #16 spot by headcount, a 0.6% 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.