2015 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2015 is $18,161 at Step 1, rising to $22,712 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-1 for 2015.
2015 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $18,161 | $698.50 | $8.70 | - |
| Step 2 | $18,768 | $721.85 | $8.99 | - |
| Step 3 | $19,372 | $745.08 | $9.28 | - |
| Step 4 | $19,973 | $768.19 | $9.57 | - |
| Step 5 | $20,577 | $791.42 | $9.86 | - |
| Step 6 | $20,931 | $805.04 | $10.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $21,528 | $828.00 | $10.32 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,130 | $851.15 | $10.60 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,153 | $852.04 | $10.61 | - |
| Step 10 | $22,712 | $873.54 | $10.88 | - |
2015 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2015, 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 | $18,161 | $698.50 | $8.70 | - |
| Step 2 | $18,768 | $721.85 | $8.99 | - |
| Step 3 | $19,372 | $745.08 | $9.28 | - |
| Step 4 | $19,973 | $768.19 | $9.57 | - |
| Step 5 | $20,577 | $791.42 | $9.86 | - |
| Step 6 | $20,931 | $805.04 | $10.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $21,528 | $828.00 | $10.32 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,130 | $851.15 | $10.60 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,153 | $852.04 | $10.61 | - |
| Step 10 | $22,712 | $873.54 | $10.88 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $24,545 | $30,695 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $23,377 | $29,235 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $23,375 | $29,233 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $23,094 | $28,881 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $22,850 | $28,576 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $22,719 | $28,413 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $22,665 | $28,345 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $22,645 | $28,320 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $22,560 | $28,213 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $22,554 | $28,206 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $22,536 | $28,183 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $22,251 | $27,827 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $22,193 | $27,754 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $22,122 | $27,665 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $22,118 | $27,661 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $21,968 | $27,472 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $21,937 | $27,434 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $21,915 | $27,407 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $21,857 | $27,334 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $21,664 | $27,093 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $21,553 | $26,955 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $21,530 | $26,925 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $21,448 | $26,823 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $21,365 | $26,718 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $21,277 | $26,609 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $21,245 | $26,568 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $21,205 | $26,519 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $21,159 | $26,462 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $21,152 | $26,453 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $21,134 | $26,430 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $21,110 | $26,400 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $21,070 | $26,350 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $20,827 | $26,046 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $20,733 | $25,928 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
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 2015
GS-1 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2015 is $18,161 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 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-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.