2020 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2020 is $30,113 at Step 1, rising to $39,149 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 2020.
2020 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2020.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $30,113 | $1,158.19 | $14.43 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,117 | $1,196.81 | $14.91 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,121 | $1,235.42 | $15.39 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,125 | $1,274.04 | $15.87 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,129 | $1,312.65 | $16.35 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,133 | $1,351.27 | $16.83 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,137 | $1,389.88 | $17.32 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,141 | $1,428.50 | $17.80 | - |
| Step 9 | $38,145 | $1,467.12 | $18.28 | - |
| Step 10 | $39,149 | $1,505.73 | $18.76 | - |
2020 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $30,113 | $1,158.19 | $14.43 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,117 | $1,196.81 | $14.91 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,121 | $1,235.42 | $15.39 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,125 | $1,274.04 | $15.87 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,129 | $1,312.65 | $16.35 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,133 | $1,351.27 | $16.83 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,137 | $1,389.88 | $17.32 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,141 | $1,428.50 | $17.80 | - |
| Step 9 | $38,145 | $1,467.12 | $18.28 | - |
| Step 10 | $39,149 | $1,505.73 | $18.76 | - |
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 2020, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $42,592 | $55,372 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $40,345 | $52,452 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $40,147 | $52,193 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $39,873 | $51,837 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $39,291 | $51,082 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $39,078 | $50,804 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $39,048 | $50,765 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $38,993 | $50,694 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $38,879 | $50,545 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $38,722 | $50,342 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $38,340 | $49,845 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $38,283 | $49,770 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $38,250 | $49,727 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $38,054 | $49,473 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $37,954 | $49,343 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $37,635 | $48,928 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $37,539 | $48,803 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $37,262 | $48,443 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $37,193 | $48,353 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $36,786 | $47,824 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $36,425 | $47,355 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $36,383 | $47,300 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $36,301 | $47,194 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $36,283 | $47,171 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $36,196 | $47,057 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $36,172 | $47,026 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $36,142 | $46,987 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $36,121 | $46,959 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $36,090 | $46,920 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $36,003 | $46,807 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $35,955 | $46,744 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $35,889 | $46,658 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $35,798 | $46,540 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $35,585 | $46,262 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $35,497 | $46,149 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $35,467 | $46,110 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $35,437 | $46,071 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $35,428 | $46,059 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $35,365 | $45,977 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $35,292 | $45,883 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $35,289 | $45,879 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $35,271 | $45,855 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $35,244 | $45,820 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $35,208 | $45,773 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $35,199 | $45,761 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $35,163 | $45,714 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $35,151 | $45,699 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $35,136 | $45,679 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $35,100 | $45,632 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $35,085 | $45,612 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $35,030 | $45,542 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $35,009 | $45,515 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $34,916 | $45,393 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2020
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2020 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 2020
GS-5 questions for 2020
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2020?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2020 is $30,113 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2020 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), 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.