Oceanography federal employee pay and staffing
This page shows how large the Oceanography series is across government, what the average pay looks like, and which agencies employ the biggest share of people in this occupation.
March 2025 workforce snapshot. The Oceanography occupation series had 454 employees with an average salary of $141,901.
454 employees in this occupation series
$141,901 average pay
Physical Sciences Group occupation family
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration largest agency for 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
Oceanography is reported under the Physical Sciences Group family in the latest OPM summary.
Agencies that employ the most Oceanography 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | Department of Commerce | 141 | $21,549,267 | $152,832 | 31.1% |
| United States Fleet Forces Command | Department of Defense | 69 | $8,100,177 | $117,394 | 15.2% |
| Office of Naval Research | Department of Defense | 58 | $8,314,448 | $143,353 | 12.8% |
| Naval Sea Systems Command | Department of Defense | 22 | $2,690,666 | $122,303 | 4.8% |
| Geological Survey | Department of the Interior | 13 | $1,592,123 | $122,471 | 2.9% |
| U.s. Army Corps of Engineers | Department of Defense | 11 | $1,500,653 | $136,423 | 2.4% |
Common pay plans for Oceanography
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZP | 127 | $154,834 | 28.0% |
| GS | 82 | $118,199 | 18.1% |
| NP | 58 | $143,353 | 12.8% |
| ND | 22 | $122,303 | 4.8% |
| EI | 14 | $134,672 | 3.1% |
| DB | 11 | $136,423 | 2.4% |
Occupation totals come from the latest OPM FedScope Employment Summary Data (March 2025).