PublicPay

Electrical Engineering federal salary series 0850

Full-time federal employees in the Electrical Engineering series earned a median of $139,398 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 27% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $120,629 and $157,607.

Median pay
$139,398
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$120,629–$157,607
25th–75th percentile
Employees
5,414
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-1.2%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Electrical Engineering
All federal (full-time)

What shapes electrical engineering pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (1,318 employees, median $139,421). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Energy (515 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($180,565) and lowest in Florida ($117,951), 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 73% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Electrical Engineering pay by grade

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

Electrical Engineering pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 285 $99,954 $77,742–$110,057
GS-12 988 $116,552 $102,197–$122,345
GS-13 1,318 $139,421 $128,284–$148,514
GS-14 343 $164,758 $153,760–$176,183
GS-15 116 $190,526 $180,565–$197,200

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

Electrical Engineering pay by agency

Electrical Engineering pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Energy 515 $145,483 $133,154–$161,176
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 389 $133,366 $111,215–$155,484
Department of Transportation 169 $122,632 $100,012–$142,867
Department of the Interior 110 $127,443 $114,843–$144,741
Department of Homeland Security 68 $136,157 $118,821–$147,427
Department of Health and Human Services 41 $146,325 $133,964–$163,104
Department of Commerce 33 $175,361 $133,087–$188,496

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

Electrical Engineering pay by state

The 9 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Electrical Engineering pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Washington 348 $142,452 $130,328–$157,607
Florida 184 $117,951 $95,434–$139,398
Ohio 113 $133,366 $118,547–$157,601
Maryland 110 $158,322 $138,024–$187,093
Colorado 110 $142,737 $121,224–$160,638
District of Columbia 93 $180,565 $153,509–$197,200
Texas 88 $139,116 $104,774–$151,685
California 66 $146,520 $127,486–$160,638
Virginia 43 $126,023 $118,821–$145,736

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

Compare electrical engineering pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −1.2% from $141,042 in September 2025 to $139,398 in September 2026. Headcount went from 5,850 to 5,414 (−7.5%). 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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