2017 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2017 is $20,829 at Step 1, rising to $26,213 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 2017.
2017 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $20,829 | $801.12 | $9.98 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,325 | $820.19 | $10.22 | - |
| Step 3 | $22,015 | $846.73 | $10.55 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,599 | $869.19 | $10.83 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,853 | $878.96 | $10.95 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,525 | $904.81 | $11.27 | - |
| Step 7 | $24,197 | $930.65 | $11.59 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,869 | $956.50 | $11.92 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,541 | $982.35 | $12.24 | - |
| Step 10 | $26,213 | $1,008.19 | $12.56 | - |
2017 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $20,829 | $801.12 | $9.98 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,325 | $820.19 | $10.22 | - |
| Step 3 | $22,015 | $846.73 | $10.55 | - |
| Step 4 | $22,599 | $869.19 | $10.83 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,853 | $878.96 | $10.95 | - |
| Step 6 | $23,525 | $904.81 | $11.27 | - |
| Step 7 | $24,197 | $930.65 | $11.59 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,869 | $956.50 | $11.92 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,541 | $982.35 | $12.24 | - |
| Step 10 | $26,213 | $1,008.19 | $12.56 | - |
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 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $28,779 | $36,219 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $27,332 | $34,397 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $27,280 | $34,331 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $27,005 | $33,985 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $26,572 | $33,440 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $26,480 | $33,325 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $26,474 | $33,317 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $26,449 | $33,285 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $26,422 | $33,251 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $26,397 | $33,220 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $26,178 | $32,944 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $25,963 | $32,675 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $25,878 | $32,567 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $25,857 | $32,541 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $25,801 | $32,470 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $25,561 | $32,169 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $25,538 | $32,140 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $25,438 | $32,014 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $25,401 | $31,967 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $25,141 | $31,639 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $24,934 | $31,380 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $24,914 | $31,353 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $24,895 | $31,330 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $24,791 | $31,199 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $24,716 | $31,104 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $24,697 | $31,081 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $24,680 | $31,060 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $24,618 | $30,981 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $24,562 | $30,910 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $24,549 | $30,895 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $24,541 | $30,884 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $24,493 | $30,824 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $24,303 | $30,585 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $24,160 | $30,404 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $24,155 | $30,399 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $24,147 | $30,389 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $24,130 | $30,368 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $24,130 | $30,368 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $24,126 | $30,363 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $24,091 | $30,318 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $24,089 | $30,315 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $24,085 | $30,310 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $24,076 | $30,300 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $24,070 | $30,292 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $24,053 | $30,271 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $24,028 | $30,239 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $23,966 | $30,161 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2017 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 2017
GS-2 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2017 is $20,829 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), 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.