Federal Employment in Washington
Washington employs 64,218 federal civilian workers - 2.8% of the federal workforce, at an average salary of $105,919, 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 Washington
Washington is home to 64,218 federal civilian employees, which is 2.8% 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 -2.0%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 34 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.
Pay in Washington averages $105,919 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 3.6% 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 11.7 years, a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.
The largest federal employer in Washington is DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY with 20,670 employees at an average salary of $98,807. The highest-paying agency in the state is FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM at $188,393 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to Washington, 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
64,218
-2.0% from prior period
Average Salary
$105,919
Near federal average
+3.7%
Avg Length of Service
11.7 yrs
Average tenure
Agencies Present
34
Salary Context
How federal pay in Washington compares to the national average of $109,869
State Average
$105,919
National Average
$109,869
vs. National Avg
-3.6%
Federal Agencies in Washington
34 federal agencies operate in Washington. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY is the largest with 20,670 employees.
The 10 largest federal agencies in Washington by civilian headcount.
Where Washington ranks nationally
Washington's 64,218 federal civilian employees are more than 80% of states (41 of 51). The highlighted bar marks where Washington sits in the national distribution of federal employment.
Federal employment distribution across all 51 states; Washington ranks higher than 80%.
Similar States by Federal Employment
States with a similar federal workforce size to Washington
Federal Employment Guides
Learn more about working for the federal government
Frequently Asked Questions
How many federal employees work in Washington? ▾
What is the average federal salary in Washington? ▾
Which federal agency has the most employees in Washington? ▾
What is the highest-paying federal agency in Washington? ▾
How many federal agencies operate in Washington? ▾
How does federal employment in Washington compare to other states? ▾
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.