2021 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2021 is $19,738 at Step 1, rising to $24,690 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-1 for 2021.
2021 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2021.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $19,738 | $759.15 | $9.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $20,400 | $784.62 | $9.77 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,056 | $809.85 | $10.09 | - |
| Step 4 | $21,709 | $834.96 | $10.40 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,365 | $860.19 | $10.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $22,749 | $874.96 | $10.90 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,398 | $899.92 | $11.21 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,052 | $925.08 | $11.52 | - |
| Step 9 | $24,078 | $926.08 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 10 | $24,690 | $949.62 | $11.83 | - |
2021 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2021, 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 | $19,738 | $759.15 | $9.46 | - |
| Step 2 | $20,400 | $784.62 | $9.77 | - |
| Step 3 | $21,056 | $809.85 | $10.09 | - |
| Step 4 | $21,709 | $834.96 | $10.40 | - |
| Step 5 | $22,365 | $860.19 | $10.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $22,749 | $874.96 | $10.90 | - |
| Step 7 | $23,398 | $899.92 | $11.21 | - |
| Step 8 | $24,052 | $925.08 | $11.52 | - |
| Step 9 | $24,078 | $926.08 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 10 | $24,690 | $949.62 | $11.83 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2021, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $27,917 | $34,922 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $26,445 | $33,080 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $26,315 | $32,917 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $26,135 | $32,692 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $25,754 | $32,216 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $25,614 | $32,040 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $25,594 | $32,016 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $25,559 | $31,971 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $25,484 | $31,877 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $25,381 | $31,749 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $25,130 | $31,435 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $25,093 | $31,388 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $25,071 | $31,361 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $24,943 | $31,201 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $24,878 | $31,119 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $24,669 | $30,858 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $24,605 | $30,779 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $24,424 | $30,551 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $24,378 | $30,495 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $24,112 | $30,161 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $23,875 | $29,865 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $23,847 | $29,830 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $23,794 | $29,764 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $23,782 | $29,749 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $23,725 | $29,677 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $23,709 | $29,658 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $23,690 | $29,633 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $23,676 | $29,616 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $23,656 | $29,591 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $23,599 | $29,519 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $23,567 | $29,480 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $23,524 | $29,426 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $23,465 | $29,351 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $23,324 | $29,176 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $23,267 | $29,105 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $23,247 | $29,080 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $23,228 | $29,055 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $23,222 | $29,048 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $23,180 | $28,996 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $23,133 | $28,937 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $23,131 | $28,934 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $23,119 | $28,919 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $23,101 | $28,897 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $23,078 | $28,868 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $23,072 | $28,860 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $23,048 | $28,831 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $23,040 | $28,821 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $23,030 | $28,808 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $23,007 | $28,779 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $22,997 | $28,766 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $22,961 | $28,722 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $22,947 | $28,705 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $22,886 | $28,628 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $22,886 | $28,628 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2021
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2021 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
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 2021
GS-1 questions for 2021
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2021 is $19,738 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2021 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 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-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.