2015 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2015 is $73,115 at Step 1, rising to $95,048 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-13 for 2015.
2015 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $73,115 | $2,812.12 | $35.03 | - |
| Step 2 | $75,552 | $2,905.85 | $36.20 | - |
| Step 3 | $77,989 | $2,999.58 | $37.37 | - |
| Step 4 | $80,426 | $3,093.31 | $38.54 | - |
| Step 5 | $82,863 | $3,187.04 | $39.70 | - |
| Step 6 | $85,300 | $3,280.77 | $40.87 | - |
| Step 7 | $87,737 | $3,374.50 | $42.04 | - |
| Step 8 | $90,174 | $3,468.23 | $43.21 | - |
| Step 9 | $92,611 | $3,561.96 | $44.38 | - |
| Step 10 | $95,048 | $3,655.69 | $45.54 | - |
2015 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $73,115 | $2,812.12 | $35.03 | - |
| Step 2 | $75,552 | $2,905.85 | $36.20 | - |
| Step 3 | $77,989 | $2,999.58 | $37.37 | - |
| Step 4 | $80,426 | $3,093.31 | $38.54 | - |
| Step 5 | $82,863 | $3,187.04 | $39.70 | - |
| Step 6 | $85,300 | $3,280.77 | $40.87 | - |
| Step 7 | $87,737 | $3,374.50 | $42.04 | - |
| Step 8 | $90,174 | $3,468.23 | $43.21 | - |
| Step 9 | $92,611 | $3,561.96 | $44.38 | - |
| Step 10 | $95,048 | $3,655.69 | $45.54 | - |
Who is a GS-13?
Typical role. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-13 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-13 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $98,815 | $128,457 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $94,114 | $122,346 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $94,106 | $122,336 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $92,973 | $120,863 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $91,993 | $119,589 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $91,467 | $118,905 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $91,248 | $118,620 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $91,167 | $118,515 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $90,823 | $118,069 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $90,802 | $118,040 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $90,728 | $117,945 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $89,580 | $116,453 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $89,347 | $116,149 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $89,061 | $115,778 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $89,047 | $115,759 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $88,440 | $114,970 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $88,316 | $114,808 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $88,228 | $114,694 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $87,994 | $114,390 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $87,219 | $113,383 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $86,773 | $112,803 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $86,678 | $112,679 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $86,349 | $112,252 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $86,012 | $111,814 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $85,662 | $111,358 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $85,530 | $111,187 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $85,369 | $110,978 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $85,186 | $110,740 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $85,157 | $110,702 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $85,084 | $110,607 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $84,989 | $110,484 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $84,828 | $110,275 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $83,848 | $109,001 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $83,468 | $108,507 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
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-13 questions for 2015
-
What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2015 is $73,115 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-13 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-13 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-13 to GS-14?
Promotion from GS-13 to GS-14 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-14 vacancy. Open the GS-14 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-13?
GS-13 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.