Federal Job Series Salaries 2026 — Pay by GS Occupation
Compare average federal salaries across 24 GS occupational series. Data from OPM Federal Workforce Data (EHRI Employment Snapshot, April 2026).
Source: OPM Federal Workforce Data (EHRI Employment Snapshot, April 2026) • Field:
annualized_adjusted_basic_pay (base + locality pay) • REDACTED records excludedAverage Federal Salary by Job Series (2026)
The government-wide average federal civilian salary is $116,099/year as of 2026 (OPM Federal Workforce Data portal (data.opm.gov), April 2026). Salaries vary significantly by occupational series — from ~$47K for Custodial Workers (GS-3566) to ~$301K for Medical Officers (GS-0602, VA physicians under Title 38). FedTools shows verified series-specific averages for 24 of 24 GS series in this batch; redaction-limited series use the government-wide benchmark.
$116K
Govt-wide avg salary
422K
Non-redacted records in this batch
24/24
Verified series salary averages
Federal GS Occupation Salary Table (April 2026)
Sorted by non-redacted record count (largest workforce first). Click any series to see pay details, top agencies, and calculator links.
| Series | Title | Non-Redacted Records | Avg Salary | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-0610 | Nurse | 96,959 8.6% redacted | $131,998 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0679 | Medical Support Assistance | 36,828 7.8% redacted | $58,203 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0602 | Medical Officer | 33,006 5.9% redacted | $300,715 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0962 | Contact Representative | 29,072 2.2% redacted | $64,226 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0105 | Social Insurance Administration | 24,347 0.4% redacted | $105,588 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0185 | Social Work | 20,944 8.0% redacted | $110,406 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-2152 | Air Traffic Control | 19,575 8.5% redacted | $152,688 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0996 | Veterans Claims Examining | 18,216 0.3% redacted | $91,914 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0601 | General Health Science | 15,255 12.7% redacted | $129,707 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0620 | Practical Nurse | 14,464 13.5% redacted | $75,834 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0621 | Nursing Assistant | 14,053 3.1% redacted | $55,810 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0660 | Pharmacist | 13,455 7.8% redacted | $166,921 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0592 | Tax Examining | 10,822 0.1% redacted | $56,300 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0462 | Forestry Technician | 10,348 0.6% redacted | $66,996 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0089 | Emergency Management Specialist | 10,018 18.8% redacted | $98,917 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0180 | Psychology | 8,966 13.6% redacted | $143,394 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-1224 | Patent Examining | 8,864 4.9% redacted | $156,498 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0901 | General Legal and Kindred Administration | 7,713 12.1% redacted | $82,308 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-2101 | Transportation Specialist | 6,996 15.4% redacted | $122,087 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-1862 | Consumer Safety Inspection | 5,223 0.4% redacted | $73,986 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0456 | Wildland Fire Management | 4,764 0.4% redacted | $70,512 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0570 | Financial Institution Examining | 4,634 3.4% redacted | $168,760 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-1825 | Aviation Safety | 4,156 1.1% redacted | $143,502 OPM FedScope | View → |
| GS-0110 | Economist | 3,291 13.8% redacted | $154,229 OPM FedScope | View → |
Series-specific averages use OPM EHRI records when redaction ≤ 20% and sample ≥ 50. Redaction-limited series show the government-wide benchmark instead of a misleading partial average. View occupation salary data on OPM FedScope →
How Federal Occupation Pay Works
Most federal civilian employees are paid under the General Schedule (GS) system, which assigns pay based on grade (GS-1 through GS-15), step (1 through 10), and duty-station locality. Your occupational series determines which grades and steps you can be assigned to — not your pay directly.
Federal Pay Formula
Total Pay = Base Pay × (1 + Locality Rate)Example: GS-11 Step 5 base pay ($71,099) in Washington DC (33.94% locality) = $95,211 total salary.
Some series operate under special pay plans that can exceed the standard GS cap of $197,200:
- Title 38 (VA): Nurses (0610), physicians (0602), pharmacists (0660), and other VA clinical staff are often paid under Title 38, which allows above-GS-cap pay to compete with private-sector healthcare.
- FAA FV Pay Band: Air traffic controllers (2152) use the FAA's FV pay band (D through G) rather than standard GS grades.
- SES (Senior Executive Service): Senior positions across series may be assigned to the SES system rather than GS.
Find Your Exact Federal Salary
The series average is a benchmark. Your actual salary depends on your grade, step, and duty station. Our free calculator uses OPM's official 2026 tables.
Federal Job Series Pay — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average federal salary by job series in 2026?↓
Salaries vary widely by occupational series. Among the highest-volume series in the April 2026 OPM snapshot: Nurses (GS-0610) average $131,998; Air Traffic Controllers (GS-2152) average $152,688; Pharmacists (GS-0660) average $166,921; and Medical Officers (GS-0602, primarily VA physicians) average $300,715 under the Title 38 special pay plan. The government-wide average across all non-redacted records is $116,099. Source: OPM EHRI Employment Snapshot, April 2026.
What is a GS occupational series code?↓
The General Schedule (GS) occupational series is a 4-digit code used by OPM to classify federal jobs by occupational type. For example, 2210 = Information Technology Management, 0610 = Nurse, 0905 = Attorney. Each series has its own qualification standards, grade structure, and typical duties. Use our GS Pay Calculator to look up the pay for any grade and step.
Why are some series suppressed (no average shown)?↓
OPM redacts salary records for privacy-sensitive positions (DoD, law enforcement, intelligence). FedTools applies a YMYL guardrail: if a series' redaction rate exceeds 20%, or fewer than 50 non-redacted records exist, we suppress the average rather than publish a misleading partial figure. The largest suppressed series include 2210 (IT Management), 0343 (Management Analysis), and 1102 (Contracting), which are heavily redacted due to DoD concentration.
How is federal occupation pay different from agency pay?↓
Your federal salary is determined by (1) your GS pay plan, grade, and step, and (2) your duty station locality adjustment — not your occupational series directly. However, occupational series determines which grade levels are typically assigned (e.g., attorneys typically enter at GS-11–GS-13). Some series like nurses (VA Title 38) or air traffic controllers (FAA FV band) use specialized pay plans outside the standard GS table. Use our GS Pay Calculator for an instant salary lookup.
Why does the Medical Officer (0602) average exceed $300,000?↓
VA and HHS physicians are paid under the Title 38 special pay plan, which allows above-GS-cap compensation to recruit and retain clinical physicians competing with private-sector medicine. The standard GS Executive Schedule cap is $197,200, but physicians at VA are explicitly authorized by statute to receive higher total pay. The $300,715 average is accurate and verified against 33,006 non-redacted OPM records with a 5.9% redaction rate.
Data Accuracy Notice (YMYL): Salary figures are from the OPM Federal Workforce Data portal (EHRI Employment Snapshot, April 2026). The
annualized_adjusted_basic_pay field captures base pay + locality pay under all pay plans. REDACTED records are excluded per OPM data release policy. FedTools publishes series-specific averages only when the non-redacted sample is representative (redaction ≤ 20%, n ≥ 50). FedTools does not fabricate, estimate, or adjust official government figures.