2020 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2020 is $26,915 at Step 1, rising to $34,988 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 2020.
2020 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2020.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $26,915 | $1,035.19 | $12.90 | - |
| Step 2 | $27,812 | $1,069.69 | $13.33 | - |
| Step 3 | $28,709 | $1,104.19 | $13.76 | - |
| Step 4 | $29,606 | $1,138.69 | $14.19 | - |
| Step 5 | $30,503 | $1,173.19 | $14.62 | - |
| Step 6 | $31,400 | $1,207.69 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 7 | $32,297 | $1,242.19 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $33,194 | $1,276.69 | $15.91 | - |
| Step 9 | $34,091 | $1,311.19 | $16.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $34,988 | $1,345.69 | $16.76 | - |
2020 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 salary schedule for 2020, 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 | $26,915 | $1,035.19 | $12.90 | - |
| Step 2 | $27,812 | $1,069.69 | $13.33 | - |
| Step 3 | $28,709 | $1,104.19 | $13.76 | - |
| Step 4 | $29,606 | $1,138.69 | $14.19 | - |
| Step 5 | $30,503 | $1,173.19 | $14.62 | - |
| Step 6 | $31,400 | $1,207.69 | $15.05 | - |
| Step 7 | $32,297 | $1,242.19 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $33,194 | $1,276.69 | $15.91 | - |
| Step 9 | $34,091 | $1,311.19 | $16.33 | - |
| Step 10 | $34,988 | $1,345.69 | $16.76 | - |
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 2020, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $38,069 | $49,487 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $36,061 | $46,877 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $35,883 | $46,646 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $35,638 | $46,328 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $35,119 | $45,652 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $34,928 | $45,404 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $34,901 | $45,369 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $34,852 | $45,306 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $34,750 | $45,173 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $34,610 | $44,991 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $34,268 | $44,547 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $34,217 | $44,480 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $34,187 | $44,442 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $34,012 | $44,214 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $33,924 | $44,099 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $33,638 | $43,728 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $33,552 | $43,616 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $33,305 | $43,294 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $33,243 | $43,214 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $32,879 | $42,741 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $32,556 | $42,321 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $32,519 | $42,273 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $32,446 | $42,178 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $32,430 | $42,157 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $32,352 | $42,056 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $32,330 | $42,028 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $32,303 | $41,993 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $32,285 | $41,968 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $32,258 | $41,933 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $32,180 | $41,832 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $32,137 | $41,776 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $32,077 | $41,699 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $31,997 | $41,594 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $31,805 | $41,345 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $31,727 | $41,244 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $31,700 | $41,209 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $31,674 | $41,174 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $31,665 | $41,163 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $31,609 | $41,090 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $31,544 | $41,006 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $31,542 | $41,002 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $31,526 | $40,981 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $31,501 | $40,950 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $31,469 | $40,908 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $31,461 | $40,897 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $31,429 | $40,855 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $31,418 | $40,841 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $31,404 | $40,824 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $31,372 | $40,782 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $31,359 | $40,765 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $31,310 | $40,702 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $31,291 | $40,677 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $31,208 | $40,569 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2020
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2020 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 2020
GS-4 questions for 2020
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2020 is $26,915 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2020 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), 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.