2018 GS-6 Pay Scale
The GS-6 base salary range for 2018 is $32,264 at Step 1, rising to $41,939 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-6 for 2018.
2018 GS-6 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-6 rates for 2018.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $32,264 | $1,240.92 | $15.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $33,339 | $1,282.27 | $15.97 | - |
| Step 3 | $34,414 | $1,323.62 | $16.49 | - |
| Step 4 | $35,489 | $1,364.96 | $17.00 | - |
| Step 5 | $36,564 | $1,406.31 | $17.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $37,639 | $1,447.65 | $18.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $38,714 | $1,489.00 | $18.55 | - |
| Step 8 | $39,789 | $1,530.35 | $19.07 | - |
| Step 9 | $40,864 | $1,571.69 | $19.58 | - |
| Step 10 | $41,939 | $1,613.04 | $20.10 | - |
2018 GS-6 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-6 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 | $32,264 | $1,240.92 | $15.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $33,339 | $1,282.27 | $15.97 | - |
| Step 3 | $34,414 | $1,323.62 | $16.49 | - |
| Step 4 | $35,489 | $1,364.96 | $17.00 | - |
| Step 5 | $36,564 | $1,406.31 | $17.52 | - |
| Step 6 | $37,639 | $1,447.65 | $18.03 | - |
| Step 7 | $38,714 | $1,489.00 | $18.55 | - |
| Step 8 | $39,789 | $1,530.35 | $19.07 | - |
| Step 9 | $40,864 | $1,571.69 | $19.58 | - |
| Step 10 | $41,939 | $1,613.04 | $20.10 | - |
Who is a GS-6?
Typical role. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, or a master's degree for some series.
Career progression. Promoted to GS-7 after one year of creditable experience in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-6 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-6 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2018, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-6 Step 1 | GS-6 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 39.28% | $44,937 | $58,413 |
| New York-Newark | 32.13% | $42,630 | $55,414 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 31.74% | $42,505 | $55,250 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 30.57% | $42,127 | $54,760 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 28.22% | $41,369 | $53,774 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 28.21% | $41,366 | $53,770 |
| State of Alaska | 28.02% | $41,304 | $53,690 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 27.88% | $41,259 | $53,632 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 27.48% | $41,130 | $53,464 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 27.47% | $41,127 | $53,460 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 26.25% | $40,733 | $52,948 |
| Denver-Aurora | 25.47% | $40,482 | $52,621 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 25.11% | $40,365 | $52,470 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 24.86% | $40,285 | $52,365 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 24.59% | $40,198 | $52,252 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 23.40% | $39,814 | $51,753 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 23.37% | $39,804 | $51,740 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 22.64% | $39,569 | $51,434 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 22.53% | $39,533 | $51,388 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 21.16% | $39,091 | $50,813 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.14% | $38,762 | $50,386 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.08% | $38,743 | $50,360 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 19.87% | $38,675 | $50,272 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 19.52% | $38,562 | $50,125 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 19.18% | $38,452 | $49,983 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 19.09% | $38,423 | $49,945 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 18.97% | $38,384 | $49,895 |
| Richmond | 18.79% | $38,326 | $49,819 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 18.49% | $38,230 | $49,694 |
| State of Hawaii | 18.43% | $38,210 | $49,668 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 18.35% | $38,184 | $49,635 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 18.11% | $38,107 | $49,534 |
| Laredo | 17.40% | $37,878 | $49,236 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 16.71% | $37,655 | $48,947 |
| Colorado Springs | 16.59% | $37,617 | $48,897 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 16.50% | $37,588 | $48,859 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 16.49% | $37,584 | $48,855 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 16.47% | $37,578 | $48,846 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.23% | $37,500 | $48,746 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 16.21% | $37,494 | $48,737 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 16.17% | $37,481 | $48,721 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 16.15% | $37,475 | $48,712 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 16.10% | $37,459 | $48,691 |
| Davenport-Moline | 16.08% | $37,452 | $48,683 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 15.93% | $37,404 | $48,620 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 15.76% | $37,349 | $48,549 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.37% | $37,223 | $48,385 |
Top and bottom GS-6 localities in 2018
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-6 pay scale
GS-6 is part of the 2018 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced technicians and mid-level administrative support, including contract specialists, paralegals, medical technicians and HR specialists.
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-6 questions for 2018
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What is the starting salary for GS-6 in 2018?
The base starting salary for GS-6 in 2018 is $32,264 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2018 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 39.28%), GS-6 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-6 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-6 to GS-7?
Promotion from GS-6 to GS-7 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-6 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-7 vacancy. Open the GS-7 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-6?
GS-6 is roughly equivalent to O-1 Second Lieutenant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.