2021 GS-5 Pay in PHILADELPHIA
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD earn 26.04% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $30,414 on the base table to $38,334 in PHILADELPHIA.
2021 GS-5 Pay in PHILADELPHIA
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,334 | $1,474.38 | $18.37 | +$7,920 |
| Step 2 | $39,612 | $1,523.54 | $18.98 | +$8,184 |
| Step 3 | $40,890 | $1,572.69 | $19.59 | +$8,448 |
| Step 4 | $42,168 | $1,621.85 | $20.21 | +$8,712 |
| Step 5 | $43,446 | $1,671.00 | $20.82 | +$8,976 |
| Step 6 | $44,724 | $1,720.15 | $21.43 | +$9,240 |
| Step 7 | $46,002 | $1,769.31 | $22.04 | +$9,504 |
| Step 8 | $47,280 | $1,818.46 | $22.65 | +$9,768 |
| Step 9 | $48,558 | $1,867.62 | $23.27 | +$10,032 |
| Step 10 | $49,836 | $1,916.77 | $23.88 | +$10,296 |
2021 GS-5 pay table for PHILADELPHIA
Each step below already includes the 26.04% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $38,334 | $1,474.38 | $18.37 | +$7,920 |
| Step 2 | $39,612 | $1,523.54 | $18.98 | +$8,184 |
| Step 3 | $40,890 | $1,572.69 | $19.59 | +$8,448 |
| Step 4 | $42,168 | $1,621.85 | $20.21 | +$8,712 |
| Step 5 | $43,446 | $1,671.00 | $20.82 | +$8,976 |
| Step 6 | $44,724 | $1,720.15 | $21.43 | +$9,240 |
| Step 7 | $46,002 | $1,769.31 | $22.04 | +$9,504 |
| Step 8 | $47,280 | $1,818.46 | $22.65 | +$9,768 |
| Step 9 | $48,558 | $1,867.62 | $23.27 | +$10,032 |
| Step 10 | $49,836 | $1,916.77 | $23.88 | +$10,296 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more PHILADELPHIA pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in PHILADELPHIA: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2021, the PHILADELPHIA pay area adds a 26.04% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in PHILADELPHIA
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in PHILADELPHIA earns roughly $1,474 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,917. 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-5 PHILADELPHIA page.
Other grades in PHILADELPHIA
GS-5 in PHILADELPHIA questions
-
How much does a GS-5 make in PHILADELPHIA?
In 2021, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in PHILADELPHIA earns $38,334 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $49,836. This is 26.04% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in PHILADELPHIA?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For PHILADELPHIA in 2021, it is 26.04%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $7,920 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in PHILADELPHIA?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in PHILADELPHIA earns roughly $1,474 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.