An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$55,392 GS-9 Step 1 in BUFFALO (2021)
$72,008 GS-9 Step 10 in BUFFALO (2021)
+$9,309 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2021 GS-9 pay table for BUFFALO

Each step below already includes the 20.20% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $55,392 $2,130.46 $26.54 +$9,309
Step 2 $57,238 $2,201.46 $27.43 +$9,619
Step 3 $59,084 $2,272.46 $28.31 +$9,929
Step 4 $60,931 $2,343.50 $29.20 +$10,240
Step 5 $62,777 $2,414.50 $30.08 +$10,550
Step 6 $64,623 $2,485.50 $30.96 +$10,860
Step 7 $66,469 $2,556.50 $31.85 +$11,170
Step 8 $68,316 $2,627.54 $32.73 +$11,481
Step 9 $70,162 $2,698.54 $33.62 +$11,791
Step 10 $72,008 $2,769.54 $34.50 +$12,101
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more BUFFALO pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $46,083
  • BUFFALO GS-9 Step 1 $55,392
  • Locality add-on +$9,309
  • Adjustment percent 20.20%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $59,907
  • BUFFALO GS-9 Step 10 $72,008

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-9 in BUFFALO: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2021, the BUFFALO pay area adds a 20.20% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in BUFFALO

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in BUFFALO earns roughly $2,130 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,770. 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-9 BUFFALO page.

Other grades in BUFFALO

GS-9 in BUFFALO questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in BUFFALO?
    In 2021, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in BUFFALO earns $55,392 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $72,008. This is 20.20% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in BUFFALO?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For BUFFALO in 2021, it is 20.20%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,309 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in BUFFALO?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in BUFFALO earns roughly $2,130 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.