2015 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2015 is $27,982 at Step 1, rising to $36,379 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-5 for 2015.
2015 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2015.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $27,982 | $1,076.23 | $13.41 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,915 | $1,112.12 | $13.85 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,848 | $1,148.00 | $14.30 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,781 | $1,183.88 | $14.75 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,714 | $1,219.77 | $15.20 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,647 | $1,255.65 | $15.64 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,580 | $1,291.54 | $16.09 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,513 | $1,327.42 | $16.54 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,446 | $1,363.31 | $16.98 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,379 | $1,399.19 | $17.43 | - |
2015 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $27,982 | $1,076.23 | $13.41 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,915 | $1,112.12 | $13.85 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,848 | $1,148.00 | $14.30 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,781 | $1,183.88 | $14.75 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,714 | $1,219.77 | $15.20 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,647 | $1,255.65 | $15.64 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,580 | $1,291.54 | $16.09 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,513 | $1,327.42 | $16.54 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,446 | $1,363.31 | $16.98 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,379 | $1,399.19 | $17.43 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2015, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.15% | $37,818 | $49,166 |
| New York-Newark | 28.72% | $36,018 | $46,827 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 28.71% | $36,016 | $46,823 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.16% | $35,582 | $46,260 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 25.82% | $35,207 | $45,772 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.10% | $35,005 | $45,510 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 24.80% | $34,922 | $45,401 |
| State of Alaska | 24.69% | $34,891 | $45,361 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.22% | $34,759 | $45,190 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.19% | $34,751 | $45,179 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.09% | $34,723 | $45,143 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.52% | $34,284 | $44,572 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.20% | $34,194 | $44,455 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 21.81% | $34,085 | $44,313 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 21.79% | $34,079 | $44,306 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 20.96% | $33,847 | $44,004 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 20.79% | $33,799 | $43,942 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 20.67% | $33,766 | $43,899 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.35% | $33,676 | $43,782 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.29% | $33,380 | $43,397 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.68% | $33,209 | $43,175 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.55% | $33,173 | $43,127 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.10% | $33,047 | $42,964 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.64% | $32,918 | $42,796 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.16% | $32,784 | $42,622 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 16.98% | $32,733 | $42,556 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 16.76% | $32,672 | $42,476 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.51% | $32,602 | $42,385 |
| Richmond | 16.47% | $32,591 | $42,371 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.37% | $32,563 | $42,334 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.24% | $32,526 | $42,287 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.02% | $32,465 | $42,207 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.68% | $32,090 | $41,719 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.16% | $31,944 | $41,530 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2015
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2015 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2015
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2015?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2015 is $27,982 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2015 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.15%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.