2021 GS-12 Pay in Rest of U.S.

Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for Rest of U.S..

15.95% locality adjustment

$77,488 step 1 annual salary

$100,739 step 10 annual salary

Step	Annual salary	Biweekly pay	Hourly rate	Locality add-on
Step 1	$77,488	$2,980.31	$37.13	+$10,659
Step 2	$80,072	$3,079.69	$38.37	+$11,015
Step 3	$82,655	$3,179.04	$39.60	+$11,370
Step 4	$85,238	$3,278.38	$40.84	+$11,725
Step 5	$87,822	$3,377.77	$42.08	+$12,081
Step 6	$90,405	$3,477.12	$43.32	+$12,436
Step 7	$92,988	$3,576.46	$44.56	+$12,791
Step 8	$95,572	$3,675.85	$45.79	+$13,147
Step 9	$98,155	$3,775.19	$47.03	+$13,502
Step 10	$100,739	$3,874.58	$48.27	+$13,858

2021 GS-12 pay table for Rest of U.S.

Each step below already includes the 15.95% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-12 table.

Step	Annual salary	Biweekly pay	Hourly rate	Locality add-on
Step 1	$77,488	$2,980.31	$37.13	+$10,659
Step 2	$80,072	$3,079.69	$38.37	+$11,015
Step 3	$82,655	$3,179.04	$39.60	+$11,370
Step 4	$85,238	$3,278.38	$40.84	+$11,725
Step 5	$87,822	$3,377.77	$42.08	+$12,081
Step 6	$90,405	$3,477.12	$43.32	+$12,436
Step 7	$92,988	$3,576.46	$44.56	+$12,791
Step 8	$95,572	$3,675.85	$45.79	+$13,147
Step 9	$98,155	$3,775.19	$47.03	+$13,502
Step 10	$100,739	$3,874.58	$48.27	+$13,858

← GS-11 Calculate my take-home GS-13 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more Rest of U.S. pays

Base GS-12 Step 1 $66,829
Rest of U.S. GS-12 Step 1 $77,488
Locality add-on +$10,659
Adjustment percent 15.95%
Base GS-12 Step 10 $86,881
Rest of U.S. GS-12 Step 10 $100,739

Step-increase waiting periods

Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-12 in Rest of U.S.: what to expect

Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.

For 2021, the Rest of U.S. pay area adds a 15.95% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-12 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.

Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.

The rough military equivalent for GS-12 is O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-12 in Rest of U.S.

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $2,980 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,875. 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-12 Rest of U.S. page.

Other grades in Rest of U.S.

GS-1 $22,886 GS-2 $25,734 GS-3 $28,078 GS-4 $31,520 GS-5 $35,265 GS-6 $39,311 GS-7 $43,683 GS-8 $48,378 GS-9 $53,433 GS-10 $58,842 GS-11 $64,649 GS-12 $77,488 GS-13 $92,143 GS-14 $108,885 GS-15 $128,078

GS-12 in Rest of U.S. questions

How much does a GS-12 make in Rest of U.S.?

In 2021, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns $77,488 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $100,739. This is 15.95% higher than the base GS-12 salary.
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in Rest of U.S.?

The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Rest of U.S. in 2021, it is 15.95%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,659 per year.
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in Rest of U.S.?

Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in Rest of U.S. earns roughly $2,980 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.