2020 GS-9 Pay in Washington DC
GS-9 employees with a duty station in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA earn 30.48% on top of the base GS-9 pay scale. That means a GS-9 Step 1 salary jumps from $45,627 on the base table to $59,534 in Washington DC.
2020 GS-9 Pay in Washington DC
Locality-adjusted GS-9 rates for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $59,534 | $2,289.77 | $28.53 | +$13,907 |
| Step 2 | $61,519 | $2,366.12 | $29.48 | +$14,371 |
| Step 3 | $63,503 | $2,442.42 | $30.43 | +$14,834 |
| Step 4 | $65,488 | $2,518.77 | $31.38 | +$15,298 |
| Step 5 | $67,473 | $2,595.12 | $32.33 | +$15,762 |
| Step 6 | $69,457 | $2,671.42 | $33.28 | +$16,225 |
| Step 7 | $71,442 | $2,747.77 | $34.23 | +$16,689 |
| Step 8 | $73,426 | $2,824.08 | $35.18 | +$17,152 |
| Step 9 | $75,411 | $2,900.42 | $36.13 | +$17,616 |
| Step 10 | $77,396 | $2,976.77 | $37.08 | +$18,080 |
2020 GS-9 pay table for Washington DC
Each step below already includes the 30.48% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-9 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $59,534 | $2,289.77 | $28.53 | +$13,907 |
| Step 2 | $61,519 | $2,366.12 | $29.48 | +$14,371 |
| Step 3 | $63,503 | $2,442.42 | $30.43 | +$14,834 |
| Step 4 | $65,488 | $2,518.77 | $31.38 | +$15,298 |
| Step 5 | $67,473 | $2,595.12 | $32.33 | +$15,762 |
| Step 6 | $69,457 | $2,671.42 | $33.28 | +$16,225 |
| Step 7 | $71,442 | $2,747.77 | $34.23 | +$16,689 |
| Step 8 | $73,426 | $2,824.08 | $35.18 | +$17,152 |
| Step 9 | $75,411 | $2,900.42 | $36.13 | +$17,616 |
| Step 10 | $77,396 | $2,976.77 | $37.08 | +$18,080 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Washington DC pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-9 in Washington DC: what to expect
Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.
For 2020, the Washington DC pay area adds a 30.48% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.
Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.
The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in Washington DC
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,290 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,977. 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-9 Washington DC page.
Other grades in Washington DC
GS-9 in Washington DC questions
-
How much does a GS-9 make in Washington DC?
In 2020, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $59,534 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $77,396. This is 30.48% higher than the base GS-9 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Washington DC?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Washington DC in 2020, it is 30.48%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $13,907 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Washington DC?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,290 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.