Federal Employment in Alaska
Alaska employs 12,381 federal civilian workers - 0.5% of the federal workforce, at an average salary of $103,521, drawn directly from OPM FedScope (March 2025). Explore the top agencies, pay, and length of service below.
What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in Alaska
Alaska is home to 12,381 federal civilian employees, which is 0.5% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 recorded in OPM FedScope for March 2025. Versus the prior reporting period, the state's federal headcount moved down by -4.2%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 19 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.
Pay in Alaska averages $103,521 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 5.8% below the national federal civilian average of $109,869. The gap reflects locality-pay tables, the mix of headquarters versus field-office roles, and the occupational profile of agencies that concentrate here. Average length of service is 11 years, a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.
The largest federal employer in Alaska is DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE with 2,374 employees at an average salary of $92,965. The highest-paying agency in the state is DENALI COMMISSION at $139,366 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to Alaska, these agency-level concentrations matter because they determine which career ladders, locality-pay tables, and mission areas dominate local federal employment. All figures come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, updated semi-annually (March and September).
Federal Employees
12,381
-4.2% from prior period
Average Salary
$103,521
Near federal average
+4.2%
Avg Length of Service
11 yrs
Average tenure
Agencies Present
19
Salary Context
How federal pay in Alaska compares to the national average of $109,869
State Average
$103,521
National Average
$109,869
vs. National Avg
-5.8%
Federal Agencies in Alaska
19 federal agencies operate in Alaska. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE is the largest with 2,374 employees.
The 10 largest federal agencies in Alaska by civilian headcount.
| # | Agency | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE | 2,374 | $92,965 | 9.3 yrs |
| 2 | DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR | 2,048 | $103,970 | 13.9 yrs |
| 3 | DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY | 1,979 | $101,575 | 10.6 yrs |
| 4 | DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | 1,147 | $132,242 | 12.4 yrs |
| 5 | DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | 1,028 | $91,385 | 10.4 yrs |
| 6 | DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS | 919 | $109,491 | 8.8 yrs |
| 7 | DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | 830 | $91,739 | 11.6 yrs |
| 8 | DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | 708 | $89,961 | 8.3 yrs |
| 9 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE | 527 | $117,031 | 11.9 yrs |
| 10 | DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE | 237 | $122,597 | 11.9 yrs |
| 11 | DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES | 102 | $120,035 | 15 yrs |
| 12 | DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY | 56 | $111,634 | 13.8 yrs |
| 13 | ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY | 42 | $127,082 | 11.5 yrs |
| 14 | SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION | 37 | $102,736 | 14 yrs |
| 15 | GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION | 37 | $119,359 | 10.5 yrs |
| 16 | DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPM | 27 | $125,249 | 12.3 yrs |
| 17 | SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION | 16 | $114,199 | 8.2 yrs |
| 18 | DENALI COMMISSION | 16 | $139,366 | 11.5 yrs |
| 19 | DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY | 11 | $138,657 | 7.9 yrs |
Where Alaska ranks nationally
Alaska's 12,381 federal civilian employees are more than 22% of states (11 of 51). The highlighted bar marks where Alaska sits in the national distribution of federal employment.
Federal employment distribution across all 51 states; Alaska ranks higher than 22%.
Similar States by Federal Employment
States with a similar federal workforce size to Alaska
Federal Employment Guides
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Data Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FedScope Employment Cubes, March 2025. Federal civilian non-seasonal full-time and part-time employees. Data does not include military personnel, postal workers, or intelligence agency staff. Last updated: 2026-03-10.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data currency: Federal workforce figures from OPM FedScope as of the March 2025 snapshot, with current openings from USAJOBS; compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
PlainGovJobs is rendered directly from OPM FedScope federal-workforce data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on OPM FedScope state-level employment records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.