2016 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2016 is $73,846 at Step 1, rising to $96,004 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 2016.
2016 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2016.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $73,846 | $2,840.23 | $35.38 | - |
| Step 2 | $76,308 | $2,934.92 | $36.56 | - |
| Step 3 | $78,770 | $3,029.62 | $37.74 | - |
| Step 4 | $81,232 | $3,124.31 | $38.92 | - |
| Step 5 | $83,694 | $3,219.00 | $40.10 | - |
| Step 6 | $86,156 | $3,313.69 | $41.28 | - |
| Step 7 | $88,618 | $3,408.38 | $42.46 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,080 | $3,503.08 | $43.64 | - |
| Step 9 | $93,542 | $3,597.77 | $44.82 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,004 | $3,692.46 | $46.00 | - |
2016 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $73,846 | $2,840.23 | $35.38 | - |
| Step 2 | $76,308 | $2,934.92 | $36.56 | - |
| Step 3 | $78,770 | $3,029.62 | $37.74 | - |
| Step 4 | $81,232 | $3,124.31 | $38.92 | - |
| Step 5 | $83,694 | $3,219.00 | $40.10 | - |
| Step 6 | $86,156 | $3,313.69 | $41.28 | - |
| Step 7 | $88,618 | $3,408.38 | $42.46 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,080 | $3,503.08 | $43.64 | - |
| Step 9 | $93,542 | $3,597.77 | $44.82 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,004 | $3,692.46 | $46.00 | - |
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 2016, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.75% | $100,246 | $130,325 |
| New York-Newark | 29.20% | $95,409 | $124,037 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 29.11% | $95,343 | $123,951 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.65% | $94,264 | $122,549 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 26.20% | $93,194 | $121,157 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.44% | $92,632 | $120,427 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 25.19% | $92,448 | $120,187 |
| State of Alaska | 25.16% | $92,426 | $120,159 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.78% | $92,145 | $119,794 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.73% | $92,108 | $119,746 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.40% | $91,864 | $119,429 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.93% | $90,779 | $118,018 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.61% | $90,543 | $117,711 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 22.26% | $90,284 | $117,374 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 22.22% | $90,255 | $117,336 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 21.30% | $89,575 | $116,453 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 21.05% | $89,391 | $116,213 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 21.04% | $89,383 | $116,203 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.69% | $89,125 | $115,867 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.58% | $88,305 | $114,802 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.87% | $87,781 | $114,120 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.76% | $87,700 | $114,014 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.39% | $87,426 | $113,659 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.94% | $87,094 | $113,227 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.41% | $86,703 | $112,718 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 17.31% | $86,629 | $112,622 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 17.12% | $86,488 | $112,440 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.81% | $86,260 | $112,142 |
| Richmond | 16.76% | $86,223 | $112,094 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.68% | $86,164 | $112,017 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.50% | $86,031 | $111,845 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.37% | $85,935 | $111,720 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.92% | $84,864 | $110,328 |
| Laredo | 14.59% | $84,620 | $110,011 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 14.55% | $84,591 | $109,973 |
| Colorado Springs | 14.52% | $84,568 | $109,944 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 14.51% | $84,561 | $109,934 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 14.51% | $84,561 | $109,934 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 14.49% | $84,546 | $109,915 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 14.49% | $84,546 | $109,915 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 14.49% | $84,546 | $109,915 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 14.47% | $84,532 | $109,896 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 14.44% | $84,509 | $109,867 |
| Davenport-Moline | 14.43% | $84,502 | $109,857 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 14.42% | $84,495 | $109,848 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 14.37% | $84,458 | $109,800 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.35% | $84,443 | $109,781 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2016
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2016 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 2016
GS-13 questions for 2016
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What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2016?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2016 is $73,846 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2016 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.75%), 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.