2021 GS-11 Pay in Washington DC
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA earn 30.48% on top of the base GS-11 pay scale. That means a GS-11 Step 1 salary jumps from $55,756 on the base table to $72,750 in Washington DC.
2021 GS-11 Pay in Washington DC
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $72,750 | $2,798.08 | $34.86 | +$16,994 |
| Step 2 | $75,176 | $2,891.38 | $36.02 | +$17,561 |
| Step 3 | $77,602 | $2,984.69 | $37.18 | +$18,128 |
| Step 4 | $80,027 | $3,077.96 | $38.35 | +$18,694 |
| Step 5 | $82,453 | $3,171.27 | $39.51 | +$19,261 |
| Step 6 | $84,879 | $3,264.58 | $40.67 | +$19,828 |
| Step 7 | $87,304 | $3,357.85 | $41.83 | +$20,394 |
| Step 8 | $89,730 | $3,451.15 | $42.99 | +$20,961 |
| Step 9 | $92,155 | $3,544.42 | $44.16 | +$21,527 |
| Step 10 | $94,581 | $3,637.73 | $45.32 | +$22,094 |
2021 GS-11 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-11 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $72,750 | $2,798.08 | $34.86 | +$16,994 |
| Step 2 | $75,176 | $2,891.38 | $36.02 | +$17,561 |
| Step 3 | $77,602 | $2,984.69 | $37.18 | +$18,128 |
| Step 4 | $80,027 | $3,077.96 | $38.35 | +$18,694 |
| Step 5 | $82,453 | $3,171.27 | $39.51 | +$19,261 |
| Step 6 | $84,879 | $3,264.58 | $40.67 | +$19,828 |
| Step 7 | $87,304 | $3,357.85 | $41.83 | +$20,394 |
| Step 8 | $89,730 | $3,451.15 | $42.99 | +$20,961 |
| Step 9 | $92,155 | $3,544.42 | $44.16 | +$21,527 |
| Step 10 | $94,581 | $3,637.73 | $45.32 | +$22,094 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Washington DC pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Washington DC: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2021, the Washington DC pay area adds a 30.48% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-11 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level.
Promotion path. Typical career ladder peak for entry-level hires; competitive promotion to GS-12 requires vacancy and supervisory selection.
The rough military equivalent for GS-11 is O-4 Major, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-11 in Washington DC
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,798 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,638. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2021 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-11 Washington DC page.
Other grades in Washington DC
GS-11 in Washington DC questions
-
How much does a GS-11 make in Washington DC?
In 2021, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $72,750 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $94,581. This is 30.48% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Washington DC?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Washington DC in 2021, it is 30.48%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $16,994 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Washington DC?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $2,798 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.