2020 GS-5 Pay in HOUSTON
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Houston-The Woodlands, TX earn 33.32% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $30,113 on the base table to $40,147 in HOUSTON.
2020 GS-5 Pay in HOUSTON
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Houston-The Woodlands, TX.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $40,147 | $1,544.12 | $19.24 | +$10,034 |
| Step 2 | $41,485 | $1,595.58 | $19.88 | +$10,368 |
| Step 3 | $42,824 | $1,647.08 | $20.52 | +$10,703 |
| Step 4 | $44,162 | $1,698.54 | $21.16 | +$11,037 |
| Step 5 | $45,501 | $1,750.04 | $21.80 | +$11,372 |
| Step 6 | $46,839 | $1,801.50 | $22.44 | +$11,706 |
| Step 7 | $48,178 | $1,853.00 | $23.08 | +$12,041 |
| Step 8 | $49,516 | $1,904.46 | $23.73 | +$12,375 |
| Step 9 | $50,855 | $1,955.96 | $24.37 | +$12,710 |
| Step 10 | $52,193 | $2,007.42 | $25.01 | +$13,044 |
2020 GS-5 pay table for HOUSTON
Each step below already includes the 33.32% 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 | $40,147 | $1,544.12 | $19.24 | +$10,034 |
| Step 2 | $41,485 | $1,595.58 | $19.88 | +$10,368 |
| Step 3 | $42,824 | $1,647.08 | $20.52 | +$10,703 |
| Step 4 | $44,162 | $1,698.54 | $21.16 | +$11,037 |
| Step 5 | $45,501 | $1,750.04 | $21.80 | +$11,372 |
| Step 6 | $46,839 | $1,801.50 | $22.44 | +$11,706 |
| Step 7 | $48,178 | $1,853.00 | $23.08 | +$12,041 |
| Step 8 | $49,516 | $1,904.46 | $23.73 | +$12,375 |
| Step 9 | $50,855 | $1,955.96 | $24.37 | +$12,710 |
| Step 10 | $52,193 | $2,007.42 | $25.01 | +$13,044 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more HOUSTON pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in HOUSTON: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2020, the HOUSTON pay area adds a 33.32% 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 HOUSTON
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in HOUSTON earns roughly $1,544 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,007. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2020 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 HOUSTON page.
Other grades in HOUSTON
GS-5 in HOUSTON questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in HOUSTON?
In 2020, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in HOUSTON earns $40,147 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $52,193. This is 33.32% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in HOUSTON?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For HOUSTON in 2020, it is 33.32%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,034 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in HOUSTON?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in HOUSTON earns roughly $1,544 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.