PublicPay

Oceanography federal salary series 1360

Full-time federal employees in the Oceanography series earned a median of $161,116 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 47% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $130,786 and $187,093.

Median pay
$161,116
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$130,786–$187,093
25th–75th percentile
Employees
383
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1.4%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Oceanography
All federal (full-time)

What shapes oceanography pay

The most common grade with published pay is ZP-4 (56 employees, median $173,412). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Commerce (122 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.

OPM withheld pay for 55% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Oceanography pay by grade

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

Oceanography pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
ZP-3 32 $122,934 $111,900–$130,786
ZP-4 56 $173,412 $156,322–$187,093

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

Oceanography pay by agency

Oceanography pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Commerce 122 $160,335 $129,886–$187,093
Department of the Interior 36 $141,834 $132,549–$177,674

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

Oceanography pay by state

The 1 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Oceanography pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 50 $180,254 $135,944–$187,093

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

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.4% from $158,850 in September 2025 to $161,116 in September 2026. Headcount went from 424 to 383 (−9.7%). 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.

Related occupations in Physical Sciences Group