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Laborer - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Laborer"
How much does a Laborer in the federal government get paid? $41,413.96* *Based on the 2022 average.Laborer was the 159th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 1,079 employed. The most common payscale was the nonsupervisory pay schedules - federal wage system payscale.
In 2022, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Laboring, with an average salary of $41,780.
Government Laboring jobs are classified under the Federal Wage Schedule, Wage Grade (FWS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Laboring job is FWS-1, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is FWS-4. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This standard covers nonsupervisory work that primarily requires physical effort and ability to perform laboring duties that involve little or no specialized skill or prior work experience. The work typically involves duties such as loading and unloading trucks; moving office furniture, equipment, and supplies by hand or with various moving devices (e.g., dollies and/or hand trucks); mowing lawns and trimming shrubs; washing vehicles; and clearing and digging ditches. These duties are commonly found in a variety of work situations such as roads and grounds maintenance, industrial operations, warehouses, office buildings, printing facilities, supply centers, and production areas.
Agencies that have hired a Laborer
Laborer Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Laborer is $41,413.96. The highest paid Laborer made $107,042 in 2022.
Common Laborer Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Laboring Employees |
|---|---|
| WG - Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 982 |
| BB - Nonsupervisory - Negotiated Pay Employees | 33 |
| WL - Leader Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System | 31 |
| WS - Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 10 |
| KG - Non-craft Non-supervisory | 7 |
| WB - Wage Positions Under The Federal Wage System Not Otherwise Designated | 5 |
| KX - Government Printing Office Negotiated Rates For Printing Plant Workers, 100% | 5 |
| FW - Wage Grade (similar To The Nonsupervisory Pay Schedule Under The Federal Wage System) | 3 |
| BL - Leader - Negotiated Pay Employees | 1 |
| KS - Non-craft - Supervisory | 1 |
| NB - Office Of The Comptroller Of The Currency Only | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $17.68 to $7.38 / hour at paygrade FWS-1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $8.78 to $21.06 / hour at paygrade FWS-4 |
| Occupation Family: | GENERAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT WORK FAMILY |
Other Jobs at the FWS-1 Paygrade
FWS-1 is the starting paygrade for Laboring jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the FWS-1 paygrade.
| Occupation | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator Operating | FWS-1 | FWS-2 |
| Fabric Working | FWS-1 | FWS-9 |
| Mobile Equipment Servicing | FWS-1 | FWS-6 |
| Laboratory Working | FWS-1 | FWS-4 |
| Masonry | FWS-1 | FWS-10 |
Average Laboring Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for a Laborer was $26,593. Since then, the average pay has increased to $41,414 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 3502.