2017 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2017 is $28,545 at Step 1, rising to $37,113 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-5 for 2017.
2017 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2017.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $28,545 | $1,097.88 | $13.68 | - |
| Step 2 | $29,497 | $1,134.50 | $14.13 | - |
| Step 3 | $30,449 | $1,171.12 | $14.59 | - |
| Step 4 | $31,401 | $1,207.73 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 5 | $32,353 | $1,244.35 | $15.50 | - |
| Step 6 | $33,305 | $1,280.96 | $15.96 | - |
| Step 7 | $34,257 | $1,317.58 | $16.41 | - |
| Step 8 | $35,209 | $1,354.19 | $16.87 | - |
| Step 9 | $36,161 | $1,390.81 | $17.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $37,113 | $1,427.42 | $17.78 | - |
2017 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $28,545 | $1,097.88 | $13.68 | - |
| Step 2 | $29,497 | $1,134.50 | $14.13 | - |
| Step 3 | $30,449 | $1,171.12 | $14.59 | - |
| Step 4 | $31,401 | $1,207.73 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 5 | $32,353 | $1,244.35 | $15.50 | - |
| Step 6 | $33,305 | $1,280.96 | $15.96 | - |
| Step 7 | $34,257 | $1,317.58 | $16.41 | - |
| Step 8 | $35,209 | $1,354.19 | $16.87 | - |
| Step 9 | $36,161 | $1,390.81 | $17.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $37,113 | $1,427.42 | $17.78 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2017, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 38.17% | $39,441 | $51,279 |
| New York-Newark | 31.22% | $37,457 | $48,700 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 30.97% | $37,385 | $48,607 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 29.65% | $37,009 | $48,117 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 27.57% | $36,415 | $47,345 |
| State of Alaska | 27.13% | $36,289 | $47,182 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 27.10% | $36,281 | $47,171 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 26.98% | $36,246 | $47,126 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 26.85% | $36,209 | $47,078 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 26.73% | $36,175 | $47,033 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 25.68% | $35,875 | $46,644 |
| Denver-Aurora | 24.65% | $35,581 | $46,261 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 24.24% | $35,464 | $46,109 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.14% | $35,436 | $46,072 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 23.87% | $35,359 | $45,972 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 22.72% | $35,030 | $45,545 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 22.61% | $34,999 | $45,504 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.13% | $34,862 | $45,326 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 21.95% | $34,811 | $45,259 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 20.70% | $34,454 | $44,795 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 19.71% | $34,171 | $44,428 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 19.61% | $34,143 | $44,391 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.52% | $34,117 | $44,357 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.02% | $33,974 | $44,172 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 18.66% | $33,871 | $44,038 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 18.57% | $33,846 | $44,005 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.49% | $33,823 | $43,975 |
| Richmond | 18.19% | $33,737 | $43,864 |
| State of Hawaii | 17.92% | $33,660 | $43,764 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 17.86% | $33,643 | $43,741 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 17.82% | $33,632 | $43,727 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 17.59% | $33,566 | $43,641 |
| Laredo | 16.68% | $33,306 | $43,303 |
| Colorado Springs | 15.99% | $33,109 | $43,047 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 15.97% | $33,104 | $43,040 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 15.93% | $33,092 | $43,025 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 15.85% | $33,069 | $42,995 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 15.85% | $33,069 | $42,995 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 15.83% | $33,064 | $42,988 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 15.66% | $33,015 | $42,925 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 15.65% | $33,012 | $42,921 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 15.63% | $33,007 | $42,914 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 15.59% | $32,995 | $42,899 |
| Davenport-Moline | 15.56% | $32,987 | $42,888 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.48% | $32,964 | $42,858 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.36% | $32,930 | $42,814 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.06% | $32,844 | $42,702 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2017
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2017 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2017
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2017?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2017 is $28,545 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2017 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 38.17%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.