Plant Protection Technician federal salary series 0421
Full-time federal employees in the Plant Protection Technician series earned a median of $55,506 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 49% below the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $49,460 and $63,217.
What shapes plant protection technician pay
The most common grade with published pay is GS-7 (198 employees, median $59,465). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Agriculture (688 employees). Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.
Plant Protection Technician pay by grade
Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.
| Pay plan–grade | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | 86 | $42,528 |
| GS-7 | 198 | $59,465 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Plant Protection Technician pay by agency
| Agency | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | 688 | $55,506 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Plant Protection Technician pay by state
The 1 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.
| State | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 60 | $60,553 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Change since September 2025
The median moved −0.2% from $55,636 in September 2025 to $55,506 in September 2026. Headcount went from 746 to 688 (−7.8%). 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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