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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

Archive year. This is the 2014 GS-4 pay scale. Current year: 2026 GS-4.
$24,763 GS-4 Step 1 base salary (2014)
$32,188 GS-4 Step 10 base salary (2014)
E-5 Sergeant Approximate military equivalent

2014 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps

This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 $24,763 $952.42 $11.87 -
Step 2 $25,588 $984.15 $12.26 -
Step 3 $26,413 $1,015.88 $12.66 -
Step 4 $27,238 $1,047.62 $13.05 -
Step 5 $28,063 $1,079.35 $13.45 -
Step 6 $28,888 $1,111.08 $13.84 -
Step 7 $29,713 $1,142.81 $14.24 -
Step 8 $30,538 $1,174.54 $14.63 -
Step 9 $31,363 $1,206.27 $15.03 -
Step 10 $32,188 $1,238.00 $15.42 -
← GS-3 Calculate GS-4 pay GS-5 →

Who is a GS-4?

Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.

Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.

Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.

Step-increase waiting periods

Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area

Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2014, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.

Locality pay area Adjustment GS-4 Step 1 GS-4 Step 10
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland 35.15% $33,467 $43,502
New York-Newark 28.72% $31,875 $41,432
Houston-The Woodlands 28.71% $31,872 $41,429
Los Angeles-Long Beach 27.16% $31,489 $40,930
Hartford-East Hartford 25.82% $31,157 $40,499
Chicago-Naperville 25.10% $30,979 $40,267
Boston-Worcester-Providence 24.80% $30,904 $40,171
State of Alaska 24.69% $30,877 $40,135
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington 24.22% $30,761 $39,984
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 24.19% $30,753 $39,974
Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor 24.09% $30,728 $39,942
Denver-Aurora 22.52% $30,340 $39,437
Sacramento-Roseville 22.20% $30,260 $39,334
Seattle-Tacoma 21.81% $30,164 $39,208
Philadelphia-Reading-Camden 21.79% $30,159 $39,202
Minneapolis-St. Paul 20.96% $29,953 $38,935
Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale 20.79% $29,911 $38,880
Dallas-Fort Worth 20.67% $29,882 $38,841
Portland-Vancouver-Salem 20.35% $29,802 $38,738
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs 19.29% $29,540 $38,397
Cleveland-Akron-Canton 18.68% $29,389 $38,201
Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville 18.55% $29,357 $38,159
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha 18.10% $29,245 $38,014
Raleigh-Durham-Cary 17.64% $29,131 $37,866
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville 17.16% $29,012 $37,711
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean 16.98% $28,968 $37,654
Phoenix-Mesa 16.76% $28,913 $37,583
State of Hawaii 16.51% $28,851 $37,502
Richmond 16.47% $28,841 $37,489
Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton 16.37% $28,817 $37,457
Dayton-Springfield-Kettering 16.24% $28,785 $37,415
Huntsville-Decatur 16.02% $28,730 $37,345
Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie 14.68% $28,398 $36,913
Rest of U.S. 14.16% $28,269 $36,746

Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2014

Lowest-paying areas

About the GS-4 pay scale

GS-4 is part of the 2014 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.

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-4 questions for 2014

  • What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2014?
    The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2014 is $24,763 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2014 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more.
  • How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
    Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries.
  • What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
    GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.