PublicPay

Federal employee salaries

In September 2026, the median annualized adjusted basic pay of full-time federal civilian employees with published pay was $109,641. Half earned between $75,332 and $148,711; one in ten earned more than $188,456.

Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
All federal (full-time)
Median pay
$109,641
+1.7% vs. September 2025
Mean pay
$118,355
pulled up by high earners
Civilian employees
2,017,021
−7.9% vs. September 2025
Full-time
95.4%
1,923,938 employees

Change since September 2025

The workforce shrank from 2,190,219 to 2,017,021 employees (−7.9%), while the median full-time pay rose from $107,835 to $109,641 (+1.7%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

Highest-paid large occupations

Occupations with at least 500 full-time employees with published pay, ranked by median.

Highest-paid federal occupations
Occupation Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Medical Officer Series 0602 34,818 $300,000 $269,326–$347,984
Dental Officer Series 0680 2,186 $245,000 $221,744–$268,121
Podiatrist Series 0668 893 $232,320 $199,029–$258,315
Administrative Law Judge Series 0935 1,202 $209,600 $209,600–$209,600
Technical Systems Program Manager Series 2186 666 $193,810 $166,939–$221,990
Pharmacology Series 0405 575 $189,965 $160,908–$205,795
Physics Series 1310 2,005 $186,963 $150,856–$197,200
Program Management Series 0340 15,826 $186,387 $156,250–$197,200
General Attorney Series 0905 36,655 $185,941 $152,456–$197,200
Patent Examining Series 1224 9,437 $176,572 $111,407–$192,154
Physician Assistant Series 0603 3,859 $174,866 $157,411–$192,001
Pharmacist Series 0660 14,669 $171,949 $157,286–$185,662
Optometrist Series 0662 1,502 $171,939 $148,046–$193,814
Financial Institution Examining Series 0570 4,628 $164,438 $114,181–$218,260
Operations Research Series 1515 4,847 $163,104 $138,024–$186,785

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Lowest-paid large occupations

Lowest-paid federal occupations
Occupation Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Laundry Working Series 7304 607 $44,390 $41,761–$49,232
Custodial Working Series 3566 12,013 $44,829 $41,990–$49,399
Guide Series 0090 791 $45,541 $41,124–$49,545
Mail and File Series 0305 1,514 $47,334 $43,452–$53,525
Food Service Working Series 7408 5,633 $47,709 $43,556–$54,012
Laboring Series 3502 1,629 $49,963 $45,517–$54,862
Supply Clerical and Technician Series 2005 7,039 $50,364 $45,437–$56,004
Transportation Clerk and Assistant Series 2102 2,746 $54,440 $49,950–$59,319
Nursing Assistant Series 0621 14,540 $55,491 $51,134–$60,451
Biological Science Technician Series 0404 5,307 $55,506 $46,060–$67,057

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Pay by pay plan

A pay plan is the table or system that sets an employee's rate. Most employees are on the General Schedule.

Federal pay by pay plan
Pay plan Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS: General Schedule 1,270,220 $102,816 $71,877–$138,419
WG: Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System 113,623 $56,119 $45,872–$71,083
VN: Nursing 90,341 $127,190 $111,044–$153,828
SV: Transportation Security Administration Employees Other Than Executives 59,072 $121,371 $89,508–$158,306
AD: Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified 42,587 $150,203 $70,623–$196,321
GG: Grades Similar to General Schedule 36,091 $150,203 $107,411–$182,295
GL: General Schedule Employees in Grades 3 Through 10 Paid a Law Enforcement Officer Special Base Rate Under Section 403 of the Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990. 35,871 $76,202 $67,896–$84,152
VM: Medical and Dental 22,737 $298,428 $266,902–$347,016
FV: Federal Aviation Administration Core Compensation Plan 20,378 $133,515 $106,006–$172,795
WS: Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System 20,259 $87,091 $75,498–$97,672
AT: Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Controller Compensation Plan 18,887 $161,459 $112,413–$197,773
GW: GS Employees in Grades 1-15 Paid a Wildland Firefighter Special Base Rate Under 5 U.S.C. 5332a on or After 3/23/2025. 16,678 $71,714 $54,722–$87,403

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)