Top 100 Federal Occupations in 2020
This table shows the top 100 most well-paid occupations in the federal government in 2020, ranked by average pay. In 2020, the number one most well-paid job was "Medical Officer," with an average yearly pay of $251,055. The runner-up job, "Medical Officer," follows with an average of $251,055, which is a 0% decrease.
Rank | Occupation Title | Average Pay | Highest Paid Individual |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Medical Officer | $251,055.46 | $464,227 |
2 | Medical Officer | $251,055.46 | $464,227 |
3 | Securities Compliance Examiner | $199,911.55 | $253,300 |
4 | Securities Compliance Examiner | $199,911.55 | $253,300 |
5 | Dental Officer | $192,586.39 | $389,293 |
6 | Dental Officer | $192,586.39 | $389,293 |
7 | Administrative Law Judge | $178,224.08 | $181,500 |
8 | Administrative Law Judge | $178,224.08 | $181,500 |
9 | Patent Attorney | $174,664.85 | $197,300 |
10 | Patent Attorney | $174,664.85 | $197,300 |
11 | $170,652.08 | $219,200 | |
12 | $170,652.08 | $219,200 | |
13 | Patent Administrator | $170,328.14 | $197,300 |
14 | Patent Administrator | $170,328.14 | $197,300 |
15 | Technical Systems Program Manager | $162,582.69 | $197,300 |
16 | Technical Systems Program Manager | $162,582.69 | $197,300 |
17 | Chief Engineer | $161,062.25 | $175,575 |
18 | Chief Engineer | $161,062.25 | $175,575 |
19 | Program Manager | $153,309.96 | $318,830 |
20 | Program Manager | $153,309.96 | $318,830 |
21 | Podiatrist | $152,591.17 | $283,038 |
22 | Podiatrist | $152,591.17 | $283,038 |
23 | Patent Classifying | $152,172.76 | $170,800 |
24 | Patent Classifying | $152,172.76 | $170,800 |
25 | Astronomy and Space Scientist | $150,578.88 | $194,373 |
26 | Astronomy and Space Scientist | $150,578.88 | $194,373 |
27 | Metallurgist | $150,113.85 | $197,300 |
28 | Metallurgist | $150,113.85 | $197,300 |
29 | General Mathematican/Statistician | $149,358.85 | $253,300 |
30 | General Mathematican/Statistician | $149,358.85 | $253,300 |
31 | Physicist | $147,212.01 | $251,762 |
32 | Physicist | $147,212.01 | $251,762 |
33 | General Attorney | $146,901.79 | $286,221 |
34 | General Attorney | $146,901.79 | $286,221 |
35 | Financial Manager | $145,321.88 | $292,205 |
36 | Financial Manager | $145,321.88 | $292,205 |
37 | Mathematician | $144,967.82 | $270,300 |
38 | Mathematician | $144,967.82 | $270,300 |
39 | Fish and Wildlife Administrator | $144,619.72 | $197,300 |
40 | Fish and Wildlife Administrator | $144,619.72 | $197,300 |
41 | Patent Adviser | $144,199.63 | $170,800 |
42 | Patent Adviser | $144,199.63 | $170,800 |
43 | Pharmacologist | $143,745.25 | $284,465 |
44 | Pharmacologist | $143,745.25 | $284,465 |
45 | Financial Analyst | $141,313.62 | $273,400 |
46 | Financial Analyst | $141,313.62 | $273,400 |
47 | Actuarial Scientist | $138,561.00 | $197,300 |
48 | Actuarial Scientist | $138,561.00 | $197,300 |
49 | Health System Administrator | $137,578.70 | $213,600 |
50 | Health System Administrator | $137,578.70 | $213,600 |
51 | Computer Scientist | $136,476.07 | $264,000 |
52 | Computer Scientist | $136,476.07 | $264,000 |
53 | Financial Institution Examiner | $136,417.63 | $277,678 |
54 | Financial Institution Examiner | $136,417.63 | $277,678 |
55 | Aerospace Engineer | $134,909.19 | $197,300 |
56 | Aerospace Engineer | $134,909.19 | $197,300 |
57 | Document Analyst | $134,719.41 | $170,800 |
58 | Document Analyst | $134,719.41 | $170,800 |
59 | Foreign Affairs Personnel | $134,648.60 | $219,200 |
60 | Foreign Affairs Personnel | $134,648.60 | $219,200 |
61 | Computer Engineer | $134,501.69 | $197,300 |
62 | Computer Engineer | $134,501.69 | $197,300 |
63 | Electronics Engineer | $134,133.83 | $197,300 |
64 | Electronics Engineer | $134,133.83 | $197,300 |
65 | Air Safety Investigator | $133,886.03 | $170,800 |
66 | Air Safety Investigator | $133,886.03 | $170,800 |
67 | Mediator | $133,869.27 | $181,500 |
68 | Mediator | $133,869.27 | $181,500 |
69 | Education Researcher | $133,705.56 | $170,800 |
70 | Education Researcher | $133,705.56 | $170,800 |
71 | Naval Architect | $133,296.19 | $170,800 |
72 | Naval Architect | $133,296.19 | $170,800 |
73 | General Engineer | $132,871.73 | $253,300 |
74 | General Engineer | $132,871.73 | $253,300 |
75 | Air Traffic Controller | $132,558.96 | $197,300 |
76 | Air Traffic Controller | $132,558.96 | $197,300 |
77 | Transportation Industry Analyst | $131,932.42 | $195,894 |
78 | Transportation Industry Analyst | $131,932.42 | $195,894 |
79 | International Relations Personnel | $131,811.02 | $197,300 |
80 | International Relations Personnel | $131,811.02 | $197,300 |
81 | Employee Benefits Lawyer | $131,168.78 | $197,300 |
82 | Employee Benefits Lawyer | $131,168.78 | $197,300 |
83 | Zoologist | $130,690.29 | $180,798 |
84 | Zoologist | $130,690.29 | $180,798 |
85 | Operations Researcher | $130,516.27 | $262,500 |
86 | Operations Researcher | $130,516.27 | $262,500 |
87 | Oceanographer | $130,399.78 | $197,300 |
88 | Oceanographer | $130,399.78 | $197,300 |
89 | Patent Examiner | $130,134.15 | $170,800 |
90 | Patent Examiner | $130,134.15 | $170,800 |
91 | Economist | $129,870.05 | $277,600 |
92 | Economist | $129,870.05 | $277,600 |
93 | Pharmacist | $129,665.00 | $226,314 |
94 | Pharmacist | $129,665.00 | $226,314 |
95 | Fire Protection Engineer | $129,259.11 | $170,800 |
96 | Fire Protection Engineer | $129,259.11 | $170,800 |
97 | Foreign Agricultural Affairs Personnel | $129,170.16 | $196,531 |
98 | Foreign Agricultural Affairs Personnel | $129,170.16 | $196,531 |
99 | Industrial Specialist | $128,970.95 | $196,440 |
100 | Industrial Specialist | $128,970.95 | $196,440 |
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.