An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$27,444 GS-3 Step 1 in PHOENIX (2018)
$35,676 GS-3 Step 10 in PHOENIX (2018)
+$4,399 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2018 GS-3 pay table for PHOENIX

Each step below already includes the 19.09% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-3 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $27,444 $1,055.54 $13.15 +$4,399
Step 2 $28,359 $1,090.73 $13.59 +$4,546
Step 3 $29,274 $1,125.92 $14.03 +$4,693
Step 4 $30,188 $1,161.08 $14.46 +$4,839
Step 5 $31,103 $1,196.27 $14.90 +$4,986
Step 6 $32,017 $1,231.42 $15.34 +$5,132
Step 7 $32,932 $1,266.62 $15.78 +$5,279
Step 8 $33,847 $1,301.81 $16.22 +$5,426
Step 9 $34,761 $1,336.96 $16.66 +$5,572
Step 10 $35,676 $1,372.15 $17.09 +$5,719
← GS-2 Calculate my take-home GS-4 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more PHOENIX pays

  • Base GS-3 Step 1 $23,045
  • PHOENIX GS-3 Step 1 $27,444
  • Locality add-on +$4,399
  • Adjustment percent 19.09%
  • Base GS-3 Step 10 $29,957
  • PHOENIX GS-3 Step 10 $35,676

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-3 in PHOENIX: what to expect

Routine clerical, office assistant and technician-support roles. Common entry grade for recent high school graduates.

For 2018, the PHOENIX pay area adds a 19.09% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-3 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. One year of general experience or one year of post-secondary education.

Promotion path. Non-competitive promotion to GS-4 after one year of satisfactory performance.

The rough military equivalent for GS-3 is E-4 Specialist, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-3 in PHOENIX

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in PHOENIX earns roughly $1,056 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,372. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2018 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-3 PHOENIX page.

Other grades in PHOENIX

GS-3 in PHOENIX questions

  • How much does a GS-3 make in PHOENIX?
    In 2018, a GS-3 Step 1 employee in PHOENIX earns $27,444 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $35,676. This is 19.09% higher than the base GS-3 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-3 in PHOENIX?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For PHOENIX in 2018, it is 19.09%. On a GS-3 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $4,399 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-3 in PHOENIX?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-3 Step 1 employee in PHOENIX earns roughly $1,056 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.