2014 GS-6 Pay Scale
The GS-6 base salary range for 2014 is $30,883 at Step 1, rising to $40,144 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-6 for 2014.
2014 GS-6 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-6 rates for 2014.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $30,883 | $1,187.81 | $14.80 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,912 | $1,227.38 | $15.29 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,941 | $1,266.96 | $15.78 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,970 | $1,306.54 | $16.28 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,999 | $1,346.12 | $16.77 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,028 | $1,385.69 | $17.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,057 | $1,425.27 | $17.76 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,086 | $1,464.85 | $18.25 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,115 | $1,504.42 | $18.74 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,144 | $1,544.00 | $19.24 | - |
2014 GS-6 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-6 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 | $30,883 | $1,187.81 | $14.80 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,912 | $1,227.38 | $15.29 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,941 | $1,266.96 | $15.78 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,970 | $1,306.54 | $16.28 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,999 | $1,346.12 | $16.77 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,028 | $1,385.69 | $17.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,057 | $1,425.27 | $17.76 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,086 | $1,464.85 | $18.25 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,115 | $1,504.42 | $18.74 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,144 | $1,544.00 | $19.24 | - |
Who is a GS-6?
Typical role. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, or a master's degree for some series.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-7 after one year of creditable experience in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-6 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-6 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2014, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-6 Step 1 | GS-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $41,738 | $54,255 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $39,753 | $51,673 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $39,750 | $51,669 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $39,271 | $51,047 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $38,857 | $50,509 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $38,635 | $50,220 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $38,542 | $50,100 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $38,508 | $50,056 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $38,363 | $49,867 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $38,354 | $49,855 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $38,323 | $49,815 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $37,838 | $49,184 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $37,739 | $49,056 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $37,619 | $48,899 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $37,612 | $48,891 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $37,356 | $48,558 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $37,304 | $48,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $37,267 | $48,442 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $37,168 | $48,313 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $36,840 | $47,888 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $36,652 | $47,643 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $36,612 | $47,591 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $36,473 | $47,410 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $36,331 | $47,225 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $36,183 | $47,033 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $36,127 | $46,960 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $36,059 | $46,872 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $35,982 | $46,772 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $35,969 | $46,756 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $35,939 | $46,716 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $35,898 | $46,663 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $35,830 | $46,575 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $35,417 | $46,037 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $35,256 | $45,828 |
Top and bottom GS-6 localities in 2014
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-6 pay scale
GS-6 is part of the 2014 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
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-6 questions for 2014
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What is the starting salary for GS-6 in 2014?
The base starting salary for GS-6 in 2014 is $30,883 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2014 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-6 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-6 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-6 to GS-7?
Promotion from GS-6 to GS-7 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-6 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-7 vacancy. Open the GS-7 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-6?
GS-6 is roughly equivalent to O-1 Second Lieutenant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.