2018 GS-5 Pay in BOSTON
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT earn 27.48% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $28,945 on the base table to $36,899 in BOSTON.
2018 GS-5 Pay in BOSTON
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $36,899 | $1,419.19 | $17.68 | +$7,954 |
| Step 2 | $38,129 | $1,466.50 | $18.27 | +$8,219 |
| Step 3 | $39,359 | $1,513.81 | $18.86 | +$8,484 |
| Step 4 | $40,590 | $1,561.15 | $19.45 | +$8,750 |
| Step 5 | $41,820 | $1,608.46 | $20.04 | +$9,015 |
| Step 6 | $43,050 | $1,655.77 | $20.63 | +$9,280 |
| Step 7 | $44,280 | $1,703.08 | $21.22 | +$9,545 |
| Step 8 | $45,510 | $1,750.38 | $21.81 | +$9,810 |
| Step 9 | $46,741 | $1,797.73 | $22.40 | +$10,076 |
| Step 10 | $47,971 | $1,845.04 | $22.99 | +$10,341 |
2018 GS-5 pay table for BOSTON
Each step below already includes the 27.48% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $36,899 | $1,419.19 | $17.68 | +$7,954 |
| Step 2 | $38,129 | $1,466.50 | $18.27 | +$8,219 |
| Step 3 | $39,359 | $1,513.81 | $18.86 | +$8,484 |
| Step 4 | $40,590 | $1,561.15 | $19.45 | +$8,750 |
| Step 5 | $41,820 | $1,608.46 | $20.04 | +$9,015 |
| Step 6 | $43,050 | $1,655.77 | $20.63 | +$9,280 |
| Step 7 | $44,280 | $1,703.08 | $21.22 | +$9,545 |
| Step 8 | $45,510 | $1,750.38 | $21.81 | +$9,810 |
| Step 9 | $46,741 | $1,797.73 | $22.40 | +$10,076 |
| Step 10 | $47,971 | $1,845.04 | $22.99 | +$10,341 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more BOSTON pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in BOSTON: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2018, the BOSTON pay area adds a 27.48% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in BOSTON
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in BOSTON earns roughly $1,419 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,845. 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-5 BOSTON page.
Other grades in BOSTON
GS-5 in BOSTON questions
-
How much does a GS-5 make in BOSTON?
In 2018, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in BOSTON earns $36,899 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $47,971. This is 27.48% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in BOSTON?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For BOSTON in 2018, it is 27.48%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $7,954 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in BOSTON?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in BOSTON earns roughly $1,419 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.