2015 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2015 is $20,419 at Step 1, rising to $25,698 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-2 for 2015.
2015 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $20,419 | $785.35 | $9.78 | - |
| Step 2 | $20,905 | $804.04 | $10.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,581 | $830.04 | $10.34 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,153 | $852.04 | $10.61 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,403 | $861.65 | $10.73 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,062 | $887.00 | $11.05 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,721 | $912.35 | $11.37 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,380 | $937.69 | $11.68 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,039 | $963.04 | $12.00 | - |
| Step 10 | $25,698 | $988.38 | $12.31 | - |
2015 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $20,419 | $785.35 | $9.78 | - |
| Step 2 | $20,905 | $804.04 | $10.02 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,581 | $830.04 | $10.34 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,153 | $852.04 | $10.61 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,403 | $861.65 | $10.73 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,062 | $887.00 | $11.05 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,721 | $912.35 | $11.37 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,380 | $937.69 | $11.68 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,039 | $963.04 | $12.00 | - |
| Step 10 | $25,698 | $988.38 | $12.31 | - |
Who is a GS-2?
Typical role. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
Minimum qualifications. High school or equivalent, or three months of general experience.
Career progression. Most GS-2 employees advance to GS-3 after one year.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-2 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-2 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $27,596 | $34,731 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $26,283 | $33,078 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $26,281 | $33,076 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $25,965 | $32,678 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $25,691 | $32,333 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $25,544 | $32,148 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $25,483 | $32,071 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $25,460 | $32,043 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $25,364 | $31,922 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $25,358 | $31,914 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $25,338 | $31,889 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $25,017 | $31,485 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $24,952 | $31,403 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $24,872 | $31,303 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $24,868 | $31,298 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $24,699 | $31,084 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $24,664 | $31,041 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $24,640 | $31,010 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $24,574 | $30,928 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $24,358 | $30,655 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $24,233 | $30,498 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $24,207 | $30,465 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $24,115 | $30,349 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $24,021 | $30,231 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $23,923 | $30,108 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $23,886 | $30,062 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $23,841 | $30,005 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $23,790 | $29,941 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $23,782 | $29,930 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $23,762 | $29,905 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $23,735 | $29,871 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $23,690 | $29,815 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $23,417 | $29,470 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $23,310 | $29,337 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
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-2 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2015 is $20,419 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-2 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-2 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-2 to GS-3?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-2 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-3 vacancy. Open the GS-3 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-2?
GS-2 is roughly equivalent to E-3 Private First Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.