2015 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2015 is $25,011 at Step 1, rising to $32,517 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-4 for 2015.
2015 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,011 | $961.96 | $11.98 | - |
| Step 2 | $25,845 | $994.04 | $12.38 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,679 | $1,026.12 | $12.78 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,513 | $1,058.19 | $13.18 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,347 | $1,090.27 | $13.58 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,181 | $1,122.35 | $13.98 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,015 | $1,154.42 | $14.38 | - |
| Step 8 | $30,849 | $1,186.50 | $14.78 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,683 | $1,218.58 | $15.18 | - |
| Step 10 | $32,517 | $1,250.65 | $15.58 | - |
2015 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $25,011 | $961.96 | $11.98 | - |
| Step 2 | $25,845 | $994.04 | $12.38 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,679 | $1,026.12 | $12.78 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,513 | $1,058.19 | $13.18 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,347 | $1,090.27 | $13.58 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,181 | $1,122.35 | $13.98 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,015 | $1,154.42 | $14.38 | - |
| Step 8 | $30,849 | $1,186.50 | $14.78 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,683 | $1,218.58 | $15.18 | - |
| Step 10 | $32,517 | $1,250.65 | $15.58 | - |
Who is a GS-4?
Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $33,802 | $43,947 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $32,194 | $41,856 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $32,192 | $41,853 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $31,804 | $41,349 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $31,469 | $40,913 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $31,289 | $40,679 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $31,214 | $40,581 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $31,186 | $40,545 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $31,069 | $40,393 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $31,061 | $40,383 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $31,036 | $40,350 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $30,643 | $39,840 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $30,563 | $39,736 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $30,466 | $39,609 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $30,461 | $39,602 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $30,253 | $39,333 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $30,211 | $39,277 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $30,181 | $39,238 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $30,101 | $39,134 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $29,836 | $38,790 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $29,683 | $38,591 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $29,651 | $38,549 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $29,538 | $38,403 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $29,423 | $38,253 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $29,303 | $38,097 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $29,258 | $38,038 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $29,203 | $37,967 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $29,140 | $37,886 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $29,130 | $37,873 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $29,105 | $37,840 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $29,073 | $37,798 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $29,018 | $37,726 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $28,683 | $37,290 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $28,553 | $37,121 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
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-4 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2015 is $25,011 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.