2018 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2018 is $25,871 at Step 1, rising to $33,629 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 2018.
2018 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $25,871 | $995.04 | $12.40 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,733 | $1,028.19 | $12.81 | - |
| Step 3 | $27,595 | $1,061.35 | $13.22 | - |
| Step 4 | $28,457 | $1,094.50 | $13.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $29,319 | $1,127.65 | $14.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $30,181 | $1,160.81 | $14.46 | - |
| Step 7 | $31,043 | $1,193.96 | $14.87 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,905 | $1,227.12 | $15.29 | - |
| Step 9 | $32,767 | $1,260.27 | $15.70 | - |
| Step 10 | $33,629 | $1,293.42 | $16.11 | - |
2018 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $25,871 | $995.04 | $12.40 | - |
| Step 2 | $26,733 | $1,028.19 | $12.81 | - |
| Step 3 | $27,595 | $1,061.35 | $13.22 | - |
| Step 4 | $28,457 | $1,094.50 | $13.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $29,319 | $1,127.65 | $14.05 | - |
| Step 6 | $30,181 | $1,160.81 | $14.46 | - |
| Step 7 | $31,043 | $1,193.96 | $14.87 | - |
| Step 8 | $31,905 | $1,227.12 | $15.29 | - |
| Step 9 | $32,767 | $1,260.27 | $15.70 | - |
| Step 10 | $33,629 | $1,293.42 | $16.11 | - |
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 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $36,033 | $46,838 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $34,183 | $44,434 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $34,082 | $44,303 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $33,780 | $43,909 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $33,172 | $43,119 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $33,169 | $43,116 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $33,120 | $43,052 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $33,084 | $43,005 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $32,980 | $42,870 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $32,978 | $42,867 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $32,662 | $42,457 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $32,460 | $42,194 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $32,367 | $42,073 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $32,303 | $41,989 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $32,233 | $41,898 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $31,925 | $41,498 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $31,917 | $41,488 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $31,728 | $41,243 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $31,700 | $41,206 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $31,345 | $40,745 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $31,081 | $40,402 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $31,066 | $40,382 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $31,012 | $40,311 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $30,921 | $40,193 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $30,833 | $40,079 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $30,810 | $40,049 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $30,779 | $40,008 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $30,732 | $39,948 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $30,655 | $39,847 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $30,639 | $39,827 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $30,618 | $39,800 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $30,556 | $39,719 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $30,373 | $39,480 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $30,194 | $39,248 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $30,163 | $39,208 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $30,140 | $39,178 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $30,137 | $39,174 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $30,132 | $39,168 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $30,070 | $39,087 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $30,065 | $39,080 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $30,054 | $39,067 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $30,049 | $39,060 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $30,036 | $39,043 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $30,031 | $39,037 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $29,992 | $38,986 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $29,948 | $38,929 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $29,847 | $38,798 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2018 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 2018
GS-4 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2018 is $25,871 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), 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.