2016 GS-10 Pay Scale
The GS-10 base salary range for 2016 is $47,158 at Step 1, rising to $61,306 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-10 for 2016.
2016 GS-10 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-10 rates for 2016.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $47,158 | $1,813.77 | $22.60 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,730 | $1,874.23 | $23.35 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,302 | $1,934.69 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,874 | $1,995.15 | $24.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,446 | $2,055.62 | $25.61 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,018 | $2,116.08 | $26.36 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,590 | $2,176.54 | $27.12 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,162 | $2,237.00 | $27.87 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,734 | $2,297.46 | $28.62 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,306 | $2,357.92 | $29.38 | - |
2016 GS-10 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-10 salary schedule for 2016, 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 | $47,158 | $1,813.77 | $22.60 | - |
| Step 2 | $48,730 | $1,874.23 | $23.35 | - |
| Step 3 | $50,302 | $1,934.69 | $24.10 | - |
| Step 4 | $51,874 | $1,995.15 | $24.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $53,446 | $2,055.62 | $25.61 | - |
| Step 6 | $55,018 | $2,116.08 | $26.36 | - |
| Step 7 | $56,590 | $2,176.54 | $27.12 | - |
| Step 8 | $58,162 | $2,237.00 | $27.87 | - |
| Step 9 | $59,734 | $2,297.46 | $28.62 | - |
| Step 10 | $61,306 | $2,357.92 | $29.38 | - |
Who is a GS-10?
Typical role. Senior technician and supervisory positions, and full-performance roles in a handful of occupations such as Border Patrol and IT.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level, plus agency-specific requirements.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-11 after one year of creditable experience in grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-10 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-10 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2016, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-10 Step 1 | GS-10 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.75% | $64,017 | $83,223 |
| New York-Newark | 29.20% | $60,928 | $79,207 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 29.11% | $60,886 | $79,152 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.65% | $60,197 | $78,257 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 26.20% | $59,513 | $77,368 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.44% | $59,155 | $76,902 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 25.19% | $59,037 | $76,749 |
| State of Alaska | 25.16% | $59,023 | $76,731 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.78% | $58,844 | $76,498 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.73% | $58,820 | $76,467 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.40% | $58,665 | $76,265 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.93% | $57,971 | $75,363 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.61% | $57,820 | $75,167 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 22.26% | $57,655 | $74,953 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 22.22% | $57,637 | $74,928 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 21.30% | $57,203 | $74,364 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 21.05% | $57,085 | $74,211 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 21.04% | $57,080 | $74,205 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.69% | $56,915 | $73,990 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.58% | $56,392 | $73,310 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.87% | $56,057 | $72,874 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.76% | $56,005 | $72,807 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.39% | $55,830 | $72,580 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.94% | $55,618 | $72,304 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.41% | $55,368 | $71,979 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 17.31% | $55,321 | $71,918 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 17.12% | $55,231 | $71,802 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.81% | $55,085 | $71,612 |
| Richmond | 16.76% | $55,062 | $71,581 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.68% | $55,024 | $71,532 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.50% | $54,939 | $71,421 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.37% | $54,878 | $71,342 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.92% | $54,194 | $70,453 |
| Laredo | 14.59% | $54,038 | $70,251 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 14.55% | $54,019 | $70,226 |
| Colorado Springs | 14.52% | $54,005 | $70,208 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 14.51% | $54,001 | $70,202 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 14.51% | $54,001 | $70,202 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 14.49% | $53,991 | $70,189 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 14.49% | $53,991 | $70,189 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 14.49% | $53,991 | $70,189 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 14.47% | $53,982 | $70,177 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 14.44% | $53,968 | $70,159 |
| Davenport-Moline | 14.43% | $53,963 | $70,152 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 14.42% | $53,958 | $70,146 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 14.37% | $53,935 | $70,116 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.35% | $53,925 | $70,103 |
Top and bottom GS-10 localities in 2016
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-10 pay scale
GS-10 is part of the 2016 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior technician and supervisory positions, and full-performance roles in a handful of occupations such as Border Patrol and IT.
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 2016
GS-10 questions for 2016
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What is the starting salary for GS-10 in 2016?
The base starting salary for GS-10 in 2016 is $47,158 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2016 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.75%), GS-10 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-10 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-10 to GS-11?
Promotion from GS-10 to GS-11 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-10 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-11 vacancy. Open the GS-11 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-10?
GS-10 is roughly equivalent to O-4 Major. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.