2019 GS-5 Pay in BOSTON
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT earn 28.27% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $29,350 on the base table to $37,647 in BOSTON.
2019 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 | $37,647 | $1,447.96 | $18.04 | +$8,297 |
| Step 2 | $38,902 | $1,496.23 | $18.64 | +$8,574 |
| Step 3 | $40,156 | $1,544.46 | $19.24 | +$8,850 |
| Step 4 | $41,411 | $1,592.73 | $19.84 | +$9,127 |
| Step 5 | $42,665 | $1,640.96 | $20.44 | +$9,403 |
| Step 6 | $43,920 | $1,689.23 | $21.04 | +$9,680 |
| Step 7 | $45,174 | $1,737.46 | $21.65 | +$9,956 |
| Step 8 | $46,429 | $1,785.73 | $22.25 | +$10,233 |
| Step 9 | $47,683 | $1,833.96 | $22.85 | +$10,509 |
| Step 10 | $48,938 | $1,882.23 | $23.45 | +$10,786 |
2019 GS-5 pay table for BOSTON
Each step below already includes the 28.27% 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 | $37,647 | $1,447.96 | $18.04 | +$8,297 |
| Step 2 | $38,902 | $1,496.23 | $18.64 | +$8,574 |
| Step 3 | $40,156 | $1,544.46 | $19.24 | +$8,850 |
| Step 4 | $41,411 | $1,592.73 | $19.84 | +$9,127 |
| Step 5 | $42,665 | $1,640.96 | $20.44 | +$9,403 |
| Step 6 | $43,920 | $1,689.23 | $21.04 | +$9,680 |
| Step 7 | $45,174 | $1,737.46 | $21.65 | +$9,956 |
| Step 8 | $46,429 | $1,785.73 | $22.25 | +$10,233 |
| Step 9 | $47,683 | $1,833.96 | $22.85 | +$10,509 |
| Step 10 | $48,938 | $1,882.23 | $23.45 | +$10,786 |
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 2019, the BOSTON pay area adds a 28.27% 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 $1,448 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,882. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2019 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 BOSTON page.
Other grades in BOSTON
GS-5 in BOSTON questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in BOSTON?
In 2019, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in BOSTON earns $37,647 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $48,938. This is 28.27% 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 2019, it is 28.27%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $8,297 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 $1,448 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.