Federal Workforce Demographics
Who makes up the 2.07M-strong federal workforce? Age, education, occupations, work schedules, and geographic distribution — all from OPM FedScope.
📊 What the Demographics Tell Us
The retirement cliff is real. Over 30% of federal workers are 55 or older. Within the next decade, the government faces a massive wave of retirements — and with it, an irreplaceable loss of institutional knowledge. Agencies like the VA and SSA are most exposed.
The workforce is top-heavy. Federal employees skew older and more educated than the private sector. This isn't a bug — it reflects the nature of government work (policy, regulation, specialized services). But it means replacement hiring must target experienced professionals, not entry-level workers.
Geographic concentration creates vulnerability. The DC metro area and a handful of states (Virginia, Maryland, California, Texas) account for the majority of federal employment. When cuts come, the economic impact is geographically concentrated.
Total Employees
2.07M
December 2025
Full-Time
95.3%
1.98M employees
STEM Workforce
26.6%
552.3K employees
Supervisors & Managers
348.5K
16.8% of workforce
Age Distribution
Federal employee counts by age bracket. The median federal worker is in their 40s.
Education Level
STEM Occupations
552.3K STEM employees (26.6% of workforce)
Work Schedule
The vast majority of federal employees work full-time, but the government also employs tens of thousands of part-time, seasonal, and intermittent workers.
Full-Time
1.98M
95.3%
Part-Time
37.6K
1.8%
Intermittent
31.5K
1.5%
Full-Time Seasonal
22.2K
1.1%
Intermittent Seasonal
3.1K
0.1%
Part-Time Seasonal
2.3K
0.1%
Part-Time Job Sharer
153
0.0%
Largest Occupational Groups
The top 12 occupational categories by employee count.
Top Duty Stations by State
Where federal employees are stationed. Note: 981.2K records are redacted for privacy.
Related Analysis
Workforce Deep Dive
Retirement cliff, experience drain, STEM brain drain, and pay grade analysis.
Explore →Education & Salary
How education level affects federal pay — from high school to doctorate.
Explore →Appointment Types
How DOGE cuts affected career, temporary, SES, and excepted service employees.
Explore →Employees by State
Where federal employees work across all 50 states and territories.
Explore →About this data
Demographics data comes from OPM FedScope employment records (December 2025 snapshot). Education level reflects the highest degree completed. Some demographic fields are redacted for privacy. Occupational groups follow OPM's standard classification system.