Wiper
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Wiper occupation series (code 9965): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, Wiper counts 449 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.8% from the prior period; pay averages $42,656, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 449
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $42,656
- Avg tenure
- 2.9 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Wiper
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Wiper occupation (OPM code 9965): 449 people, headcount up 1.8% 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 Wiper is $42,656 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 2.9 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.
Code 99, the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family, is where the federal government classifies Wiper alongside 54 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Wiper postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family.
Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), Wiper holds the #4 spot by headcount, a 6.6% share of the family total.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Wiper pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$42,656
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-63.6%
Where Wiper ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $42,656 is higher than 1% of federal occupation series (6 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Wiper sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Wiper ranks higher than 1%.
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 |
| Able Seaman | 338 | $51,760 | 12.1 yrs |
| Engine Utilityman | 283 | n/a | 8.5 yrs |
| Third Officer | 249 | n/a | 4.2 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 Wiper 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 (449 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($42,656 here).
Key takeaways
- Wiper pays below the federal average by 63.6% ($42,656 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 1st percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 449 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 1.8% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Wiper ranks #302 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (55 occupations, 6,786 employees combined), Wiper holds the #4 spot by headcount, a 6.6% 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.