2018 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2018 is $18,785 at Step 1, rising to $23,502 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 2018.
2018 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $18,785 | $722.50 | $9.00 | - |
| Step 2 | $19,414 | $746.69 | $9.30 | - |
| Step 3 | $20,039 | $770.73 | $9.60 | - |
| Step 4 | $20,660 | $794.62 | $9.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $21,285 | $818.65 | $10.20 | - |
| Step 6 | $21,650 | $832.69 | $10.37 | - |
| Step 7 | $22,267 | $856.42 | $10.67 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,891 | $880.42 | $10.97 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,915 | $881.35 | $10.98 | - |
| Step 10 | $23,502 | $903.92 | $11.26 | - |
2018 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2018, 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 | $18,785 | $722.50 | $9.00 | - |
| Step 2 | $19,414 | $746.69 | $9.30 | - |
| Step 3 | $20,039 | $770.73 | $9.60 | - |
| Step 4 | $20,660 | $794.62 | $9.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $21,285 | $818.65 | $10.20 | - |
| Step 6 | $21,650 | $832.69 | $10.37 | - |
| Step 7 | $22,267 | $856.42 | $10.67 | - |
| Step 8 | $22,891 | $880.42 | $10.97 | - |
| Step 9 | $22,915 | $881.35 | $10.98 | - |
| Step 10 | $23,502 | $903.92 | $11.26 | - |
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 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $26,164 | $32,734 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $24,821 | $31,053 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $24,747 | $30,962 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $24,528 | $30,687 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $24,086 | $30,134 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $24,084 | $30,132 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $24,049 | $30,087 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $24,022 | $30,054 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $23,947 | $29,960 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $23,945 | $29,958 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $23,716 | $29,671 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $23,570 | $29,488 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $23,502 | $29,403 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $23,455 | $29,345 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $23,404 | $29,281 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $23,181 | $29,001 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $23,175 | $28,994 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $23,038 | $28,823 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $23,017 | $28,797 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $22,760 | $28,475 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $22,568 | $28,235 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $22,557 | $28,221 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $22,518 | $28,172 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $22,452 | $28,090 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $22,388 | $28,010 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $22,371 | $27,989 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $22,349 | $27,960 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $22,315 | $27,918 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $22,258 | $27,848 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $22,247 | $27,833 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $22,232 | $27,815 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $22,187 | $27,758 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $22,054 | $27,591 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $21,924 | $27,429 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $21,901 | $27,401 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $21,885 | $27,380 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $21,883 | $27,377 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $21,879 | $27,373 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $21,834 | $27,316 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $21,830 | $27,312 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $21,823 | $27,302 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $21,819 | $27,298 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $21,809 | $27,286 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $21,806 | $27,281 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $21,777 | $27,246 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $21,746 | $27,206 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $21,672 | $27,114 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2018 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 2018
GS-1 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2018 is $18,785 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), 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.