2021 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2021 is $79,468 at Step 1, rising to $103,309 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-13 for 2021.
2021 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2021.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $79,468 | $3,056.46 | $38.08 | - |
| Step 2 | $82,117 | $3,158.35 | $39.35 | - |
| Step 3 | $84,766 | $3,260.23 | $40.62 | - |
| Step 4 | $87,415 | $3,362.12 | $41.89 | - |
| Step 5 | $90,064 | $3,464.00 | $43.15 | - |
| Step 6 | $92,713 | $3,565.88 | $44.42 | - |
| Step 7 | $95,362 | $3,667.77 | $45.69 | - |
| Step 8 | $98,011 | $3,769.65 | $46.96 | - |
| Step 9 | $100,660 | $3,871.54 | $48.23 | - |
| Step 10 | $103,309 | $3,973.42 | $49.50 | - |
2021 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $79,468 | $3,056.46 | $38.08 | - |
| Step 2 | $82,117 | $3,158.35 | $39.35 | - |
| Step 3 | $84,766 | $3,260.23 | $40.62 | - |
| Step 4 | $87,415 | $3,362.12 | $41.89 | - |
| Step 5 | $90,064 | $3,464.00 | $43.15 | - |
| Step 6 | $92,713 | $3,565.88 | $44.42 | - |
| Step 7 | $95,362 | $3,667.77 | $45.69 | - |
| Step 8 | $98,011 | $3,769.65 | $46.96 | - |
| Step 9 | $100,660 | $3,871.54 | $48.23 | - |
| Step 10 | $103,309 | $3,973.42 | $49.50 | - |
Who is a GS-13?
Typical role. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-13 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-13 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2021, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $112,400 | $146,120 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $106,471 | $138,413 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $105,947 | $137,732 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $105,224 | $136,791 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $103,690 | $134,798 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $103,126 | $134,064 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $103,046 | $133,961 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $102,903 | $133,775 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $102,601 | $133,382 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $102,188 | $132,845 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $101,179 | $131,533 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $101,028 | $131,337 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $100,940 | $131,223 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $100,424 | $130,552 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $100,161 | $130,211 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $99,319 | $129,116 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $99,065 | $128,785 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $98,334 | $127,835 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $98,151 | $127,597 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $97,078 | $126,202 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $96,124 | $124,963 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $96,013 | $124,818 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $95,799 | $124,539 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $95,751 | $124,477 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $95,521 | $124,177 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $95,457 | $124,095 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $95,377 | $123,991 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $95,322 | $123,919 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $95,242 | $123,816 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $95,012 | $123,516 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $94,885 | $123,351 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $94,710 | $123,124 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $94,472 | $122,814 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $93,907 | $122,080 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $93,677 | $121,781 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $93,597 | $121,677 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $93,518 | $121,574 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $93,494 | $121,543 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $93,327 | $121,326 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $93,136 | $121,078 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $93,129 | $121,068 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $93,081 | $121,006 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $93,009 | $120,913 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $92,914 | $120,789 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $92,890 | $120,758 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $92,795 | $120,634 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $92,763 | $120,593 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $92,723 | $120,541 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $92,628 | $120,417 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $92,588 | $120,365 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $92,445 | $120,179 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $92,389 | $120,107 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $92,143 | $119,787 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $92,143 | $119,787 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2021
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2021 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
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-13 questions for 2021
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What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2021 is $79,468 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2021 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), GS-13 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-13 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-13 to GS-14?
Promotion from GS-13 to GS-14 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-14 vacancy. Open the GS-14 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-13?
GS-13 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.