2021 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2021 is $22,194 at Step 1, rising to $27,929 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-2 for 2021.
2021 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2021.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $22,194 | $853.62 | $10.63 | - |
| Step 2 | $22,722 | $873.92 | $10.89 | - |
| Step 3 | $23,457 | $902.19 | $11.24 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,078 | $926.08 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 5 | $24,349 | $936.50 | $11.67 | - |
| Step 6 | $25,065 | $964.04 | $12.01 | - |
| Step 7 | $25,781 | $991.58 | $12.35 | - |
| Step 8 | $26,497 | $1,019.12 | $12.70 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,213 | $1,046.65 | $13.04 | - |
| Step 10 | $27,929 | $1,074.19 | $13.38 | - |
2021 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $22,194 | $853.62 | $10.63 | - |
| Step 2 | $22,722 | $873.92 | $10.89 | - |
| Step 3 | $23,457 | $902.19 | $11.24 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,078 | $926.08 | $11.54 | - |
| Step 5 | $24,349 | $936.50 | $11.67 | - |
| Step 6 | $25,065 | $964.04 | $12.01 | - |
| Step 7 | $25,781 | $991.58 | $12.35 | - |
| Step 8 | $26,497 | $1,019.12 | $12.70 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,213 | $1,046.65 | $13.04 | - |
| Step 10 | $27,929 | $1,074.19 | $13.38 | - |
Who is a GS-2?
Typical role. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
Minimum qualifications. High school or equivalent, or three months of general experience.
Career progression. Most GS-2 employees advance to GS-3 after one year.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-2 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-2 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2021, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 41.44% | $31,391 | $39,503 |
| New York-Newark | 33.98% | $29,736 | $37,419 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.32% | $29,589 | $37,235 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 32.41% | $29,387 | $36,981 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 30.48% | $28,959 | $36,442 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 29.77% | $28,801 | $36,243 |
| State of Alaska | 29.67% | $28,779 | $36,216 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 29.49% | $28,739 | $36,165 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 29.11% | $28,655 | $36,059 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 28.59% | $28,539 | $35,914 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.32% | $28,257 | $35,559 |
| Denver-Aurora | 27.13% | $28,215 | $35,506 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 27.02% | $28,191 | $35,475 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 26.37% | $28,047 | $35,294 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.04% | $27,973 | $35,202 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 24.98% | $27,738 | $34,906 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 24.66% | $27,667 | $34,816 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 23.74% | $27,463 | $34,559 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.51% | $27,412 | $34,495 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.16% | $27,112 | $34,118 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 20.96% | $26,846 | $33,783 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 20.82% | $26,815 | $33,744 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.55% | $26,755 | $33,668 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.49% | $26,742 | $33,652 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.20% | $26,677 | $33,571 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.12% | $26,659 | $33,548 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.02% | $26,637 | $33,520 |
| Richmond | 19.95% | $26,622 | $33,501 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 19.85% | $26,600 | $33,473 |
| State of Hawaii | 19.56% | $26,535 | $33,392 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.40% | $26,500 | $33,347 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.18% | $26,451 | $33,286 |
| Laredo | 18.88% | $26,384 | $33,202 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.17% | $26,227 | $33,004 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 17.88% | $26,162 | $32,923 |
| Colorado Springs | 17.78% | $26,140 | $32,895 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 17.68% | $26,118 | $32,867 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 17.65% | $26,111 | $32,858 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 17.44% | $26,065 | $32,800 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.20% | $26,011 | $32,733 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.19% | $26,009 | $32,730 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.13% | $25,996 | $32,713 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.04% | $25,976 | $32,688 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 16.92% | $25,949 | $32,655 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 16.89% | $25,943 | $32,646 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 16.77% | $25,916 | $32,613 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 16.73% | $25,907 | $32,602 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 16.68% | $25,896 | $32,588 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.56% | $25,869 | $32,554 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 16.51% | $25,858 | $32,540 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.33% | $25,818 | $32,490 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.26% | $25,803 | $32,470 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 15.95% | $25,734 | $32,384 |
| Rest of U.S. | 15.95% | $25,734 | $32,384 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2021
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2021 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
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-2 questions for 2021
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2021?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2021 is $22,194 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2021 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 41.44%), GS-2 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-2 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-2 to GS-3?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-2 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-3 vacancy. Open the GS-3 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-2?
GS-2 is roughly equivalent to E-3 Private First Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.