2017 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2017 is $25,514 at Step 1, rising to $33,164 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 2017.
2017 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,514 | $981.31 | $12.23 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,364 | $1,014.00 | $12.63 | - |
| Step 3 | $27,214 | $1,046.69 | $13.04 | - |
| Step 4 | $28,064 | $1,079.38 | $13.45 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,914 | $1,112.08 | $13.85 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,764 | $1,144.77 | $14.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,614 | $1,177.46 | $14.67 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,464 | $1,210.15 | $15.08 | - |
| Step 9 | $32,314 | $1,242.85 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 10 | $33,164 | $1,275.54 | $15.89 | - |
2017 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $25,514 | $981.31 | $12.23 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,364 | $1,014.00 | $12.63 | - |
| Step 3 | $27,214 | $1,046.69 | $13.04 | - |
| Step 4 | $28,064 | $1,079.38 | $13.45 | - |
| Step 5 | $28,914 | $1,112.08 | $13.85 | - |
| Step 6 | $29,764 | $1,144.77 | $14.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $30,614 | $1,177.46 | $14.67 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,464 | $1,210.15 | $15.08 | - |
| Step 9 | $32,314 | $1,242.85 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 10 | $33,164 | $1,275.54 | $15.89 | - |
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 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $35,253 | $45,823 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $33,479 | $43,518 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $33,416 | $43,435 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $33,079 | $42,997 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $32,548 | $42,307 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $32,436 | $42,161 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $32,428 | $42,151 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $32,398 | $42,112 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $32,365 | $42,069 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $32,334 | $42,029 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $32,066 | $41,681 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $31,803 | $41,339 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $31,699 | $41,203 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $31,673 | $41,170 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $31,604 | $41,080 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $31,311 | $40,699 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $31,283 | $40,662 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $31,160 | $40,503 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $31,114 | $40,443 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $30,795 | $40,029 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $30,543 | $39,701 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $30,517 | $39,667 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $30,494 | $39,638 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $30,367 | $39,472 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $30,275 | $39,352 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $30,252 | $39,323 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $30,232 | $39,296 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $30,155 | $39,197 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $30,086 | $39,107 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $30,071 | $39,087 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $30,061 | $39,074 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $30,002 | $38,998 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $29,770 | $38,696 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $29,594 | $38,467 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $29,589 | $38,460 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $29,578 | $38,447 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $29,558 | $38,420 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $29,558 | $38,420 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $29,553 | $38,414 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $29,509 | $38,357 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $29,507 | $38,354 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $29,502 | $38,348 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $29,492 | $38,334 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $29,484 | $38,324 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $29,464 | $38,298 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $29,433 | $38,258 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $29,356 | $38,158 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2017 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 2017
GS-4 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2017 is $25,514 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), 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.