Chief Engineer federal employee pay and staffing
This page shows how large the Chief Engineer series is across government, what the average pay looks like, and which agencies employ the biggest share of people in this occupation.
What this page helps you check
Use this page when you want to see where a federal occupation is concentrated, which agencies employ the most people in it, and what the average pay looks like across government.
Occupation family
Chief Engineer is reported under the Vessel Jobs Family (Excluded from the Federal Wage System) family in the latest OPM summary.
Agencies that employ the most Chief Engineer staff
These are the agencies with the biggest reported headcount in this occupation series.
| Agency | Department | Employees | Total salary expense | Average pay | Share of occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Fleet Forces Command | Department of Defense | 86 | $16,760,798 | $194,893 | 81.9% |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | Department of Commerce | 16 | $3,077,936 | $192,371 | 15.2% |
Common pay plans for Chief Engineer
This shows the pay plans most commonly attached to this occupation series in the latest OPM summary.
| Pay plan | Employees | Average pay | Share of occupation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WM | 102 | $194,497 | 97.1% |
Occupation totals come from the latest OPM FedScope Employment Summary Data (March 2025).