PublicPay

Telecommunications federal salary series 0391

Full-time federal employees in the Telecommunications series earned a median of $133,964 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 22% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $112,657 and $158,306.

Median pay
$133,964
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$112,657–$158,306
25th–75th percentile
Employees
3,865
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Telecommunications
All federal (full-time)

What shapes telecommunications pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (835 employees, median $138,024). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Homeland Security (590 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($150,203) and lowest in Colorado ($119,761), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 75% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Telecommunications pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Telecommunications pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 548 $92,107 $83,488–$97,087
GS-12 785 $116,216 $107,411–$123,425
GS-13 835 $138,024 $129,904–$150,203
GS-14 238 $167,902 $158,306–$177,497

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

Telecommunications pay by agency

Telecommunications pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Homeland Security 590 $133,964 $119,485–$154,263
Department of Justice 444 $147,427 $133,142–$159,518
Department of the Interior 136 $97,087 $85,945–$122,794
Department of Transportation 56 $146,536 $129,412–$174,998
Department of Agriculture 44 $114,149 $103,451–$133,721
Department of Commerce 40 $160,713 $133,964–$187,093

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

Telecommunications pay by state

The 6 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Telecommunications pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 297 $150,203 $133,964–$167,902
Virginia 89 $133,964 $118,987–$163,104
California 57 $121,917 $92,919–$136,653
Maryland 53 $146,143 $129,728–$158,322
Georgia 49 $119,897 $102,669–$142,573
Colorado 31 $119,761 $108,596–$144,390

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

Compare telecommunications pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.0% from $132,638 in September 2025 to $133,964 in September 2026. Headcount went from 4,391 to 3,865 (−12.0%). 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.

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