2018 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2018 is $28,945 at Step 1, rising to $37,630 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 2018.
2018 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $28,945 | $1,113.27 | $13.87 | - |
| Step 2 | $29,910 | $1,150.38 | $14.33 | - |
| Step 3 | $30,875 | $1,187.50 | $14.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $31,840 | $1,224.62 | $15.26 | - |
| Step 5 | $32,805 | $1,261.73 | $15.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $33,770 | $1,298.85 | $16.18 | - |
| Step 7 | $34,735 | $1,335.96 | $16.64 | - |
| Step 8 | $35,700 | $1,373.08 | $17.11 | - |
| Step 9 | $36,665 | $1,410.19 | $17.57 | - |
| Step 10 | $37,630 | $1,447.31 | $18.03 | - |
2018 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $28,945 | $1,113.27 | $13.87 | - |
| Step 2 | $29,910 | $1,150.38 | $14.33 | - |
| Step 3 | $30,875 | $1,187.50 | $14.79 | - |
| Step 4 | $31,840 | $1,224.62 | $15.26 | - |
| Step 5 | $32,805 | $1,261.73 | $15.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $33,770 | $1,298.85 | $16.18 | - |
| Step 7 | $34,735 | $1,335.96 | $16.64 | - |
| Step 8 | $35,700 | $1,373.08 | $17.11 | - |
| Step 9 | $36,665 | $1,410.19 | $17.57 | - |
| Step 10 | $37,630 | $1,447.31 | $18.03 | - |
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 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $40,315 | $52,411 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $38,245 | $49,721 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $38,132 | $49,574 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $37,793 | $49,133 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $37,113 | $48,249 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $37,110 | $48,245 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $37,055 | $48,174 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $37,015 | $48,121 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $36,899 | $47,971 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $36,896 | $47,967 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $36,543 | $47,508 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $36,317 | $47,214 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $36,213 | $47,079 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $36,141 | $46,985 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $36,063 | $46,883 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $35,718 | $46,435 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $35,709 | $46,424 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $35,498 | $46,149 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $35,466 | $46,108 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $35,070 | $45,593 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $34,775 | $45,209 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $34,757 | $45,186 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $34,696 | $45,107 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $34,595 | $44,975 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $34,497 | $44,847 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $34,471 | $44,814 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $34,436 | $44,768 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $34,384 | $44,701 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $34,297 | $44,588 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $34,280 | $44,565 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $34,256 | $44,535 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $34,187 | $44,445 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $33,981 | $44,178 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $33,782 | $43,918 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $33,747 | $43,873 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $33,721 | $43,839 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $33,718 | $43,835 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $33,712 | $43,828 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $33,643 | $43,737 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $33,637 | $43,730 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $33,625 | $43,715 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $33,620 | $43,707 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $33,605 | $43,688 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $33,599 | $43,681 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $33,556 | $43,624 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $33,507 | $43,560 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $33,394 | $43,414 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2018 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 2018
GS-5 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2018 is $28,945 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), 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.