2016 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2016 is $20,623 at Step 1, rising to $25,959 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 2016.
2016 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2016.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $20,623 | $793.19 | $9.88 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,114 | $812.08 | $10.12 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,797 | $838.35 | $10.44 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,375 | $860.58 | $10.72 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,629 | $870.35 | $10.84 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,295 | $895.96 | $11.16 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,961 | $921.58 | $11.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,627 | $947.19 | $11.80 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,293 | $972.81 | $12.12 | - |
| Step 10 | $25,959 | $998.42 | $12.44 | - |
2016 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $20,623 | $793.19 | $9.88 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,114 | $812.08 | $10.12 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,797 | $838.35 | $10.44 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,375 | $860.58 | $10.72 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,629 | $870.35 | $10.84 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,295 | $895.96 | $11.16 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,961 | $921.58 | $11.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,627 | $947.19 | $11.80 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,293 | $972.81 | $12.12 | - |
| Step 10 | $25,959 | $998.42 | $12.44 | - |
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 2016, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.75% | $27,996 | $35,239 |
| New York-Newark | 29.20% | $26,645 | $33,539 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 29.11% | $26,626 | $33,516 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.65% | $26,325 | $33,137 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 26.20% | $26,026 | $32,760 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.44% | $25,869 | $32,563 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 25.19% | $25,818 | $32,498 |
| State of Alaska | 25.16% | $25,812 | $32,490 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.78% | $25,733 | $32,392 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.73% | $25,723 | $32,379 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.40% | $25,655 | $32,293 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.93% | $25,352 | $31,911 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.61% | $25,286 | $31,828 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 22.26% | $25,214 | $31,737 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 22.22% | $25,205 | $31,727 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 21.30% | $25,016 | $31,488 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 21.05% | $24,964 | $31,423 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 21.04% | $24,962 | $31,421 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.69% | $24,890 | $31,330 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.58% | $24,661 | $31,042 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.87% | $24,515 | $30,857 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.76% | $24,492 | $30,829 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.39% | $24,416 | $30,733 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.94% | $24,323 | $30,616 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.41% | $24,213 | $30,478 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 17.31% | $24,193 | $30,453 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 17.12% | $24,154 | $30,403 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.81% | $24,090 | $30,323 |
| Richmond | 16.76% | $24,079 | $30,310 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.68% | $24,063 | $30,289 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.50% | $24,026 | $30,242 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.37% | $23,999 | $30,208 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.92% | $23,700 | $29,832 |
| Laredo | 14.59% | $23,632 | $29,746 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 14.55% | $23,624 | $29,736 |
| Colorado Springs | 14.52% | $23,617 | $29,728 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 14.51% | $23,615 | $29,726 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 14.51% | $23,615 | $29,726 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 14.49% | $23,611 | $29,720 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 14.49% | $23,611 | $29,720 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 14.49% | $23,611 | $29,720 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 14.47% | $23,607 | $29,715 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 14.44% | $23,601 | $29,707 |
| Davenport-Moline | 14.43% | $23,599 | $29,705 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 14.42% | $23,597 | $29,702 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 14.37% | $23,587 | $29,689 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.35% | $23,582 | $29,684 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2016
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2016 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 2016
GS-2 questions for 2016
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2016?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2016 is $20,623 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2016 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.75%), 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.