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Federal Employment in OHIO

Federal workforce data for OHIO. This state accounts for 2.6% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.

What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in OHIO

OHIO is home to 60,425 federal civilian employees, which is 2.6% 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 -1.0%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 35 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.

Pay in OHIO averages $108,213 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 1.5% 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 11.6 years — a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.

The largest federal employer in OHIO is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 17,837 employees at an average salary of $109,080. The highest-paying agency in the state is FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION at $167,686 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to OHIO, 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

60,425

-1.0% from prior period

Average Salary

$108,213

+2.5%

Avg Length of Service

11.6 yrs

Agencies Present

35

Salary Context

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

State Average

$108,213

National Average

$109,869

vs. National Avg

-1.5%

Federal Agencies in OHIO

35 federal agencies operate in OHIO. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest with 17,837 employees.

# Agency Employees Avg Salary
1 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 17,837 $109,080
2 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 16,160 $118,213
3 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 9,712 $90,045
4 DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 2,136 $101,649
5 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 1,937 $92,092
6 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 1,724 $110,632
7 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 1,637 $83,447
8 NAT AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 1,503 $140,165
9 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 1,286 $98,169
10 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1,201 $141,643
11 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1,075 $84,098
12 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 913 $116,478
13 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 584 $127,046
14 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 446 $102,922
15 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 393 $88,757
16 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 375 $113,865
17 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 175 $144,275
18 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 165 $107,433
19 GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 155 $117,017
20 SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 104 $88,704
21 DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPM 103 $128,578
22 NAT ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION 62 $55,118
23 FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION 53 $135,950
24 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD 48 $133,374
25 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 37 $137,887
26 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION 32 $110,938
27 OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 30 $122,361
28 NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION 27 $112,598
29 FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 19 $167,686
30 CORP FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 15 $107,837
31 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 13 $155,230
32 FED MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE 12 $128,533
33 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 12 $136,572
34 PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION 12 $124,786
35 RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 11 $97,058

Related Federal Data

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

WageDex — Salary Data

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PlainWorker — Worker Protections

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

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 OHIO.

Similar States by Federal Employment

States with a similar federal workforce size to OHIO

NORTH CAROLINA

57,025 employees $100,537 avg

WASHINGTON

64,218 employees $105,919 avg

ILLINOIS

53,474 employees $109,781 avg

NEW YORK

71,437 employees $108,166 avg

PENNSYLVANIA

74,194 employees $101,309 avg

ARIZONA

46,211 employees $98,796 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 OHIO? ▾
OHIO has 60,425 federal civilian employees as of March 2025. This represents 2.6% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average federal salary in OHIO? ▾
The average federal salary in OHIO is $108,213 per year, which is 1.5% below the national federal average of $109,869.
Which federal agency has the most employees in OHIO? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest federal employer in OHIO with 17,837 employees and an average salary of $109,080.
What is the highest-paying federal agency in OHIO? ▾
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION has the highest average salary among federal agencies in OHIO at $167,686 per year.
How many federal agencies operate in OHIO? ▾
35 federal agencies have employees in OHIO. The largest is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 17,837 employees.
How does federal employment in OHIO compare to other states? ▾
OHIO ranks among the mid-range states for federal employment, with 2.6% of the total federal civilian workforce. The average length of service is 11.6 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