2014 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2014 is $27,705 at Step 1, rising to $36,021 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-5 for 2014.
2014 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2014.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $27,705 | $1,065.58 | $13.28 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,629 | $1,101.12 | $13.72 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,553 | $1,136.65 | $14.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,477 | $1,172.19 | $14.60 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,401 | $1,207.73 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,325 | $1,243.27 | $15.49 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,249 | $1,278.81 | $15.93 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,173 | $1,314.35 | $16.37 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,097 | $1,349.88 | $16.82 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,021 | $1,385.42 | $17.26 | - |
2014 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $27,705 | $1,065.58 | $13.28 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,629 | $1,101.12 | $13.72 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,553 | $1,136.65 | $14.16 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,477 | $1,172.19 | $14.60 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,401 | $1,207.73 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,325 | $1,243.27 | $15.49 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,249 | $1,278.81 | $15.93 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,173 | $1,314.35 | $16.37 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,097 | $1,349.88 | $16.82 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,021 | $1,385.42 | $17.26 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2014, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $37,443 | $48,682 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $35,662 | $46,366 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $35,659 | $46,363 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $35,230 | $45,804 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $34,858 | $45,322 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $34,659 | $45,062 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $34,576 | $44,954 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $34,545 | $44,915 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $34,415 | $44,745 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $34,407 | $44,734 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $34,379 | $44,698 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $33,944 | $44,133 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $33,856 | $44,018 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $33,747 | $43,877 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $33,742 | $43,870 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $33,512 | $43,571 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $33,465 | $43,510 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $33,432 | $43,467 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $33,343 | $43,351 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $33,049 | $42,969 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $32,880 | $42,750 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $32,844 | $42,703 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $32,720 | $42,541 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $32,592 | $42,375 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $32,459 | $42,202 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $32,409 | $42,137 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $32,348 | $42,058 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $32,279 | $41,968 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $32,268 | $41,954 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $32,240 | $41,918 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $32,204 | $41,871 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $32,143 | $41,792 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $31,772 | $41,309 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $31,628 | $41,122 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2014
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2014 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2014
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2014?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2014 is $27,705 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2014 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.