2014 GS-12 Pay Scale
The GS-12 base salary range for 2014 is $60,877 at Step 1, rising to $79,138 at Step 10. Add the locality pay adjustment for your duty station on top. This page shows the base table first, then every locality-adjusted version of GS-12 for 2014.
2014 GS-12 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-12 rates for 2014.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $60,877 | $2,341.42 | $29.17 | - |
| Step 2 | $62,906 | $2,419.46 | $30.14 | - |
| Step 3 | $64,935 | $2,497.50 | $31.11 | - |
| Step 4 | $66,964 | $2,575.54 | $32.09 | - |
| Step 5 | $68,993 | $2,653.58 | $33.06 | - |
| Step 6 | $71,022 | $2,731.62 | $34.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $73,051 | $2,809.65 | $35.00 | - |
| Step 8 | $75,080 | $2,887.69 | $35.98 | - |
| Step 9 | $77,109 | $2,965.73 | $36.95 | - |
| Step 10 | $79,138 | $3,043.77 | $37.92 | - |
2014 GS-12 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-12 salary schedule for 2014, before any locality adjustment. It shows annual salary, biweekly pay and hourly rate for every step.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $60,877 | $2,341.42 | $29.17 | - |
| Step 2 | $62,906 | $2,419.46 | $30.14 | - |
| Step 3 | $64,935 | $2,497.50 | $31.11 | - |
| Step 4 | $66,964 | $2,575.54 | $32.09 | - |
| Step 5 | $68,993 | $2,653.58 | $33.06 | - |
| Step 6 | $71,022 | $2,731.62 | $34.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $73,051 | $2,809.65 | $35.00 | - |
| Step 8 | $75,080 | $2,887.69 | $35.98 | - |
| Step 9 | $77,109 | $2,965.73 | $36.95 | - |
| Step 10 | $79,138 | $3,043.77 | $37.92 | - |
Who is a GS-12?
Typical role. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-12 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-12 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2014, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-12 Step 1 | GS-12 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $82,275 | $106,955 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $78,361 | $101,866 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $78,355 | $101,859 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $77,411 | $100,632 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $76,595 | $99,571 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $76,157 | $99,002 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $75,974 | $98,764 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $75,908 | $98,677 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $75,621 | $98,305 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $75,603 | $98,281 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $75,542 | $98,202 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $74,587 | $96,960 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $74,392 | $96,707 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $74,154 | $96,398 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $74,142 | $96,382 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $73,637 | $95,725 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $73,533 | $95,591 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $73,460 | $95,496 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $73,265 | $95,243 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $72,620 | $94,404 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $72,249 | $93,921 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $72,170 | $93,818 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $71,896 | $93,462 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $71,616 | $93,098 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $71,323 | $92,718 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $71,214 | $92,576 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $71,080 | $92,402 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $70,928 | $92,204 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $70,903 | $92,172 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $70,843 | $92,093 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $70,763 | $91,990 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $70,629 | $91,816 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $69,814 | $90,755 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $69,497 | $90,344 |
Top and bottom GS-12 localities in 2014
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-12 pay scale
GS-12 is part of the 2014 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
How step increases work
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable. You move from Step 1 to Step 4 one year at a time, from Step 4 to Step 7 every two years, and from Step 7 to Step 10 every three years. Managers can award a one-time quality step increase (QSI) to accelerate progression for employees whose performance is rated outstanding.
Browse other grades in 2014
GS-12 questions for 2014
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What is the starting salary for GS-12 in 2014?
The base starting salary for GS-12 in 2014 is $60,877 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2014 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-12 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-12 Step 10?
If you never get a quality step increase, it takes roughly 18 years to move from Step 1 to Step 10. Steps 1-4 take one year each, Steps 5-7 take two years each, and Steps 8-10 take three years each. A quality step increase can shorten that timeline by one year per QSI. -
How do I get promoted from GS-12 to GS-13?
Promotion from GS-12 to GS-13 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-13 vacancy. Open the GS-13 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-12?
GS-12 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.