2015 GS-12 Pay Scale
The GS-12 base salary range for 2015 is $61,486 at Step 1, rising to $79,936 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 2015.
2015 GS-12 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-12 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $61,486 | $2,364.85 | $29.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $63,536 | $2,443.69 | $30.44 | - |
| Step 3 | $65,586 | $2,522.54 | $31.43 | - |
| Step 4 | $67,636 | $2,601.38 | $32.41 | - |
| Step 5 | $69,686 | $2,680.23 | $33.39 | - |
| Step 6 | $71,736 | $2,759.08 | $34.37 | - |
| Step 7 | $73,786 | $2,837.92 | $35.36 | - |
| Step 8 | $75,836 | $2,916.77 | $36.34 | - |
| Step 9 | $77,886 | $2,995.62 | $37.32 | - |
| Step 10 | $79,936 | $3,074.46 | $38.30 | - |
2015 GS-12 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-12 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 | $61,486 | $2,364.85 | $29.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $63,536 | $2,443.69 | $30.44 | - |
| Step 3 | $65,586 | $2,522.54 | $31.43 | - |
| Step 4 | $67,636 | $2,601.38 | $32.41 | - |
| Step 5 | $69,686 | $2,680.23 | $33.39 | - |
| Step 6 | $71,736 | $2,759.08 | $34.37 | - |
| Step 7 | $73,786 | $2,837.92 | $35.36 | - |
| Step 8 | $75,836 | $2,916.77 | $36.34 | - |
| Step 9 | $77,886 | $2,995.62 | $37.32 | - |
| Step 10 | $79,936 | $3,074.46 | $38.30 | - |
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 2015, 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% | $83,098 | $108,034 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $79,145 | $102,894 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $79,139 | $102,886 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $78,186 | $101,647 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $77,362 | $100,575 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $76,919 | $100,000 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $76,735 | $99,760 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $76,667 | $99,672 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $76,378 | $99,296 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $76,359 | $99,273 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $76,298 | $99,193 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $75,333 | $97,938 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $75,136 | $97,682 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $74,896 | $97,370 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $74,884 | $97,354 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $74,373 | $96,691 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $74,269 | $96,555 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $74,195 | $96,459 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $73,998 | $96,203 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $73,347 | $95,356 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $72,972 | $94,868 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $72,892 | $94,764 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $72,615 | $94,404 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $72,332 | $94,037 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $72,037 | $93,653 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $71,926 | $93,509 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $71,791 | $93,333 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $71,637 | $93,133 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $71,613 | $93,101 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $71,551 | $93,022 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $71,471 | $92,918 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $71,336 | $92,742 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $70,512 | $91,671 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $70,192 | $91,255 |
Top and bottom GS-12 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-12 pay scale
GS-12 is part of the 2015 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 2015
GS-12 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-12 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-12 in 2015 is $61,486 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (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.