2018 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2018 is $75,628 at Step 1, rising to $98,317 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 2018.
2018 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $75,628 | $2,908.77 | $36.24 | - |
| Step 2 | $78,149 | $3,005.73 | $37.45 | - |
| Step 3 | $80,670 | $3,102.69 | $38.65 | - |
| Step 4 | $83,191 | $3,199.65 | $39.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $85,712 | $3,296.62 | $41.07 | - |
| Step 6 | $88,233 | $3,393.58 | $42.28 | - |
| Step 7 | $90,754 | $3,490.54 | $43.49 | - |
| Step 8 | $93,275 | $3,587.50 | $44.69 | - |
| Step 9 | $95,796 | $3,684.46 | $45.90 | - |
| Step 10 | $98,317 | $3,781.42 | $47.11 | - |
2018 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $75,628 | $2,908.77 | $36.24 | - |
| Step 2 | $78,149 | $3,005.73 | $37.45 | - |
| Step 3 | $80,670 | $3,102.69 | $38.65 | - |
| Step 4 | $83,191 | $3,199.65 | $39.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $85,712 | $3,296.62 | $41.07 | - |
| Step 6 | $88,233 | $3,393.58 | $42.28 | - |
| Step 7 | $90,754 | $3,490.54 | $43.49 | - |
| Step 8 | $93,275 | $3,587.50 | $44.69 | - |
| Step 9 | $95,796 | $3,684.46 | $45.90 | - |
| Step 10 | $98,317 | $3,781.42 | $47.11 | - |
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 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $105,335 | $136,936 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $99,927 | $129,906 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $99,632 | $129,523 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $98,747 | $128,373 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $96,970 | $126,062 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $96,963 | $126,052 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $96,819 | $125,865 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $96,713 | $125,728 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $96,411 | $125,335 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $96,403 | $125,325 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $95,480 | $124,125 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $94,890 | $123,358 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $94,618 | $123,004 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $94,429 | $122,759 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $94,225 | $122,493 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $93,325 | $121,323 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $93,302 | $121,294 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $92,750 | $120,576 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $92,667 | $120,468 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $91,631 | $119,121 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $90,859 | $118,118 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $90,814 | $118,059 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $90,655 | $117,853 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $90,391 | $117,508 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $90,133 | $117,174 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $90,065 | $117,086 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $89,975 | $116,968 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $89,839 | $116,791 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $89,612 | $116,496 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $89,566 | $116,437 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $89,506 | $116,358 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $89,324 | $116,122 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $88,787 | $115,424 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $88,265 | $114,746 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $88,175 | $114,628 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $88,107 | $114,539 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $88,099 | $114,529 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $88,084 | $114,510 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $87,902 | $114,274 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $87,887 | $114,254 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $87,857 | $114,215 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $87,842 | $114,195 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $87,804 | $114,146 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $87,789 | $114,126 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $87,676 | $113,979 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $87,547 | $113,812 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $87,252 | $113,428 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2018 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 2018
GS-13 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2018 is $75,628 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), 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.