2017 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2017 is $74,584 at Step 1, rising to $96,958 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 2017.
2017 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $74,584 | $2,868.62 | $35.74 | - |
| Step 2 | $77,070 | $2,964.23 | $36.93 | - |
| Step 3 | $79,556 | $3,059.85 | $38.12 | - |
| Step 4 | $82,042 | $3,155.46 | $39.31 | - |
| Step 5 | $84,528 | $3,251.08 | $40.50 | - |
| Step 6 | $87,014 | $3,346.69 | $41.69 | - |
| Step 7 | $89,500 | $3,442.31 | $42.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,986 | $3,537.92 | $44.08 | - |
| Step 9 | $94,472 | $3,633.54 | $45.27 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,958 | $3,729.15 | $46.46 | - |
2017 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $74,584 | $2,868.62 | $35.74 | - |
| Step 2 | $77,070 | $2,964.23 | $36.93 | - |
| Step 3 | $79,556 | $3,059.85 | $38.12 | - |
| Step 4 | $82,042 | $3,155.46 | $39.31 | - |
| Step 5 | $84,528 | $3,251.08 | $40.50 | - |
| Step 6 | $87,014 | $3,346.69 | $41.69 | - |
| Step 7 | $89,500 | $3,442.31 | $42.88 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,986 | $3,537.92 | $44.08 | - |
| Step 9 | $94,472 | $3,633.54 | $45.27 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,958 | $3,729.15 | $46.46 | - |
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 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $103,053 | $133,967 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $97,869 | $127,228 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $97,683 | $126,986 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $96,698 | $125,706 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $95,147 | $123,689 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $94,819 | $123,263 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $94,796 | $123,234 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $94,707 | $123,117 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $94,610 | $122,991 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $94,520 | $122,875 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $93,737 | $121,857 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $92,969 | $120,858 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $92,663 | $120,461 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $92,589 | $120,364 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $92,387 | $120,102 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $91,529 | $118,987 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $91,447 | $118,880 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $91,089 | $118,415 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $90,955 | $118,240 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $90,023 | $117,028 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $89,285 | $116,068 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $89,210 | $115,971 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $89,143 | $115,884 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $88,770 | $115,399 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $88,501 | $115,050 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $88,434 | $114,963 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $88,375 | $114,886 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $88,151 | $114,595 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $87,949 | $114,333 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $87,905 | $114,275 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $87,875 | $114,236 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $87,703 | $114,013 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $87,025 | $113,131 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $86,510 | $112,462 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $86,495 | $112,442 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $86,465 | $112,403 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $86,406 | $112,326 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $86,406 | $112,326 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $86,391 | $112,306 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $86,264 | $112,142 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $86,256 | $112,132 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $86,241 | $112,113 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $86,212 | $112,074 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $86,189 | $112,045 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $86,130 | $111,967 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $86,040 | $111,851 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $85,816 | $111,560 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2017 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 2017
GS-13 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2017 is $74,584 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), 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.