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Federal Employment in NEW YORK

Federal workforce data for NEW YORK. This state accounts for 3.1% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.

What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in NEW YORK

NEW YORK is home to 71,437 federal civilian employees, which is 3.1% 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 -1.6%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 42 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.

Pay in NEW YORK averages $108,166 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 1.6% 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 11.8 years — a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.

The largest federal employer in NEW YORK is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 19,006 employees at an average salary of $108,267. The highest-paying agency in the state is SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION at $244,991 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to NEW YORK, 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 quarterly.

Federal Employees

71,437

-1.6% from prior period

Average Salary

$108,166

+2.7%

Avg Length of Service

11.8 yrs

Agencies Present

42

Salary Context

How federal pay in NEW YORK compares to the national average of $109,869

State Average

$108,166

National Average

$109,869

vs. National Avg

-1.6%

Federal Agencies in NEW YORK

42 federal agencies operate in NEW YORK. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest with 19,006 employees.

# Agency Employees Avg Salary
1 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 19,006 $108,267
2 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 12,706 $102,910
3 DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 7,933 $99,719
4 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 6,482 $91,183
5 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 5,465 $120,479
6 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 3,381 $103,331
7 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 2,702 $80,088
8 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 2,432 $144,327
9 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 1,788 $99,637
10 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 1,345 $126,936
11 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1,094 $89,866
12 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 1,009 $101,154
13 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 917 $93,387
14 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 678 $138,378
15 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 571 $244,991
16 GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 527 $132,539
17 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 523 $124,463
18 DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPM 373 $135,388
19 SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 325 $94,677
20 FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION 277 $198,576
21 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 222 $115,453
22 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 181 $158,756
23 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 141 $85,193
24 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 129 $104,471
25 FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 100 $211,465
26 COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 92 $241,385
27 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD 87 $144,730
28 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 86 $142,554
29 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION 75 $124,884
30 NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION 61 $124,049
31 FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 46 $172,880
32 OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 30 $130,302
33 NAT AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 29 $176,422
34 NAT ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION 27 $109,787
35 U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEV 26 $157,654
36 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 21 $126,543
37 DFC 21 $174,183
38 CORP FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 15 $88,518
39 U.S.AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA 14 $146,091
40 PEACE CORPS 14 $117,683
41 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 11 $154,335
42 RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 11 $98,916

Related Federal Data

Explore salary, cost-of-living, and workforce data from other federal sources

WageDex — Salary Data

BLS occupation salary data for 831 occupations across all US metros. Compare federal vs. private sector pay in NEW YORK.

PlainWorker — Worker Protections

OSHA inspection data and workplace safety records. See enforcement activity in NEW YORK.

PlainPension — Pension Data

Federal and private pension plan data. Explore retirement benefits for government employees.

PlainCost — Cost of Living

BEA Regional Price Parities for 387 metros. See how far your federal salary goes in NEW YORK.

Similar States by Federal Employment

States with a similar federal workforce size to NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

74,194 employees $101,309 avg

WASHINGTON

64,218 employees $105,919 avg

OHIO

60,425 employees $108,213 avg

NORTH CAROLINA

57,025 employees $100,537 avg

ILLINOIS

53,474 employees $109,781 avg

GEORGIA

90,219 employees $100,945 avg

Federal Employment Guides

Learn more about working for the federal government

How to Get a Government Job

Step-by-step guide to finding and applying for federal positions.

GS Pay Scale Explained

Understanding the General Schedule pay system and locality adjustments.

Highest-Paying Federal Jobs

Top federal occupations and agencies ranked by average salary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many federal employees work in NEW YORK? ▾
NEW YORK has 71,437 federal civilian employees as of March 2025. This represents 3.1% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average federal salary in NEW YORK? ▾
The average federal salary in NEW YORK is $108,166 per year, which is 1.6% below the national federal average of $109,869.
Which federal agency has the most employees in NEW YORK? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest federal employer in NEW YORK with 19,006 employees and an average salary of $108,267.
What is the highest-paying federal agency in NEW YORK? ▾
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION has the highest average salary among federal agencies in NEW YORK at $244,991 per year.
How many federal agencies operate in NEW YORK? ▾
42 federal agencies have employees in NEW YORK. The largest is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 19,006 employees.
How does federal employment in NEW YORK compare to other states? ▾
NEW YORK ranks among the top states for federal employment, with 3.1% of the total federal civilian workforce. The average length of service is 11.8 years.

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.

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Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGovJobs Editorial