2016 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2016 is $25,261 at Step 1, rising to $32,839 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 2016.
2016 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2016.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,261 | $971.58 | $12.10 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,103 | $1,003.96 | $12.51 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,945 | $1,036.35 | $12.91 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,787 | $1,068.73 | $13.31 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,629 | $1,101.12 | $13.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,471 | $1,133.50 | $14.12 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,313 | $1,165.88 | $14.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,155 | $1,198.27 | $14.93 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,997 | $1,230.65 | $15.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $32,839 | $1,263.04 | $15.74 | - |
2016 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $25,261 | $971.58 | $12.10 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,103 | $1,003.96 | $12.51 | - |
| Step 3 | $26,945 | $1,036.35 | $12.91 | - |
| Step 4 | $27,787 | $1,068.73 | $13.31 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,629 | $1,101.12 | $13.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,471 | $1,133.50 | $14.12 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,313 | $1,165.88 | $14.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,155 | $1,198.27 | $14.93 | - |
| Step 9 | $31,997 | $1,230.65 | $15.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $32,839 | $1,263.04 | $15.74 | - |
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 2016, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 35.75% | $34,292 | $44,579 |
| New York-Newark | 29.20% | $32,637 | $42,428 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 29.11% | $32,614 | $42,398 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 27.65% | $32,246 | $41,919 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 26.20% | $31,879 | $41,443 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 25.44% | $31,687 | $41,193 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 25.19% | $31,624 | $41,111 |
| State of Alaska | 25.16% | $31,617 | $41,101 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 24.78% | $31,521 | $40,977 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 24.73% | $31,508 | $40,960 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 24.40% | $31,425 | $40,852 |
| Denver-Aurora | 22.93% | $31,053 | $40,369 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 22.61% | $30,973 | $40,264 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 22.26% | $30,884 | $40,149 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 22.22% | $30,874 | $40,136 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 21.30% | $30,642 | $39,834 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 21.05% | $30,578 | $39,752 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 21.04% | $30,576 | $39,748 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 20.69% | $30,488 | $39,633 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 19.58% | $30,207 | $39,269 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 18.87% | $30,028 | $39,036 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 18.76% | $30,000 | $39,000 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 18.39% | $29,906 | $38,878 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 17.94% | $29,793 | $38,730 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 17.41% | $29,659 | $38,556 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 17.31% | $29,634 | $38,523 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 17.12% | $29,586 | $38,461 |
| State of Hawaii | 16.81% | $29,507 | $38,359 |
| Richmond | 16.76% | $29,495 | $38,343 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 16.68% | $29,475 | $38,317 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 16.50% | $29,429 | $38,257 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 16.37% | $29,396 | $38,215 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 14.92% | $29,030 | $37,739 |
| Laredo | 14.59% | $28,947 | $37,630 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 14.55% | $28,936 | $37,617 |
| Colorado Springs | 14.52% | $28,929 | $37,607 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 14.51% | $28,926 | $37,604 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 14.51% | $28,926 | $37,604 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 14.49% | $28,921 | $37,597 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 14.49% | $28,921 | $37,597 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 14.49% | $28,921 | $37,597 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 14.47% | $28,916 | $37,591 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 14.44% | $28,909 | $37,581 |
| Davenport-Moline | 14.43% | $28,906 | $37,578 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 14.42% | $28,904 | $37,574 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 14.37% | $28,891 | $37,558 |
| Rest of U.S. | 14.35% | $28,886 | $37,551 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2016
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2016 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 2016
GS-4 questions for 2016
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2016?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2016 is $25,261 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2016 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 35.75%), 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.