An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$53,717 GS-9 Step 1 in CHICAGO (2016)
$69,827 GS-9 Step 10 in CHICAGO (2016)
+$10,894 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2016 GS-9 pay table for CHICAGO

Each step below already includes the 25.44% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $53,717 $2,066.04 $25.74 +$10,894
Step 2 $55,507 $2,134.88 $26.60 +$11,257
Step 3 $57,297 $2,203.73 $27.45 +$11,620
Step 4 $59,087 $2,272.58 $28.31 +$11,983
Step 5 $60,877 $2,341.42 $29.17 +$12,346
Step 6 $62,667 $2,410.27 $30.03 +$12,709
Step 7 $64,457 $2,479.12 $30.89 +$13,072
Step 8 $66,247 $2,547.96 $31.74 +$13,435
Step 9 $68,037 $2,616.81 $32.60 +$13,798
Step 10 $69,827 $2,685.65 $33.46 +$14,161
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more CHICAGO pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $42,823
  • CHICAGO GS-9 Step 1 $53,717
  • Locality add-on +$10,894
  • Adjustment percent 25.44%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $55,666
  • CHICAGO GS-9 Step 10 $69,827

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-9 in CHICAGO: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2016, the CHICAGO pay area adds a 25.44% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in CHICAGO

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns roughly $2,066 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,686. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2016 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-9 CHICAGO page.

Other grades in CHICAGO

GS-9 in CHICAGO questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in CHICAGO?
    In 2016, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns $53,717 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $69,827. This is 25.44% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in CHICAGO?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For CHICAGO in 2016, it is 25.44%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,894 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in CHICAGO?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in CHICAGO earns roughly $2,066 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.