2017 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2017 is $18,526 at Step 1, rising to $23,171 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-1 for 2017.
2017 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $18,526 | $712.54 | $8.88 | - |
| Step 2 | $19,146 | $736.38 | $9.17 | - |
| Step 3 | $19,762 | $760.08 | $9.47 | - |
| Step 4 | $20,375 | $783.65 | $9.76 | - |
| Step 5 | $20,991 | $807.35 | $10.06 | - |
| Step 6 | $21,351 | $821.19 | $10.23 | - |
| Step 7 | $21,960 | $844.62 | $10.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,575 | $868.27 | $10.82 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,599 | $869.19 | $10.83 | - |
| Step 10 | $23,171 | $891.19 | $11.10 | - |
2017 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2017, 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 | $18,526 | $712.54 | $8.88 | - |
| Step 2 | $19,146 | $736.38 | $9.17 | - |
| Step 3 | $19,762 | $760.08 | $9.47 | - |
| Step 4 | $20,375 | $783.65 | $9.76 | - |
| Step 5 | $20,991 | $807.35 | $10.06 | - |
| Step 6 | $21,351 | $821.19 | $10.23 | - |
| Step 7 | $21,960 | $844.62 | $10.52 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,575 | $868.27 | $10.82 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,599 | $869.19 | $10.83 | - |
| Step 10 | $23,171 | $891.19 | $11.10 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $25,597 | $32,015 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $24,310 | $30,405 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $24,264 | $30,347 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $24,019 | $30,041 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $23,634 | $29,559 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $23,552 | $29,457 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $23,547 | $29,450 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $23,524 | $29,423 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $23,500 | $29,392 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $23,478 | $29,365 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $23,283 | $29,121 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $23,093 | $28,883 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $23,017 | $28,788 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $22,998 | $28,764 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $22,948 | $28,702 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $22,735 | $28,435 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $22,715 | $28,410 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $22,626 | $28,299 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $22,592 | $28,257 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $22,361 | $27,967 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $22,177 | $27,738 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $22,159 | $27,715 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $22,142 | $27,694 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $22,050 | $27,578 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $21,983 | $27,495 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $21,966 | $27,474 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $21,951 | $27,455 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $21,896 | $27,386 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $21,846 | $27,323 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $21,835 | $27,309 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $21,827 | $27,300 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $21,785 | $27,247 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $21,616 | $27,036 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $21,488 | $26,876 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $21,485 | $26,871 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $21,477 | $26,862 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $21,462 | $26,844 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $21,462 | $26,844 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $21,459 | $26,839 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $21,427 | $26,800 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $21,425 | $26,797 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $21,422 | $26,793 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $21,414 | $26,783 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $21,409 | $26,776 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $21,394 | $26,758 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $21,372 | $26,730 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $21,316 | $26,661 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2017 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
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 2017
GS-1 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2017 is $18,526 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 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-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.