2022 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2022 is $27,782 at Step 1, rising to $36,116 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-4 for 2022.
2022 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2022.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $27,782 | $1,068.54 | $13.31 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,708 | $1,104.15 | $13.76 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,634 | $1,139.77 | $14.20 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,560 | $1,175.38 | $14.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,486 | $1,211.00 | $15.09 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,412 | $1,246.62 | $15.53 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,338 | $1,282.23 | $15.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,264 | $1,317.85 | $16.42 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,190 | $1,353.46 | $16.86 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,116 | $1,389.08 | $17.31 | - |
2022 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 salary schedule for 2022, 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 | $27,782 | $1,068.54 | $13.31 | - |
| Step 2 | $28,708 | $1,104.15 | $13.76 | - |
| Step 3 | $29,634 | $1,139.77 | $14.20 | - |
| Step 4 | $30,560 | $1,175.38 | $14.64 | - |
| Step 5 | $31,486 | $1,211.00 | $15.09 | - |
| Step 6 | $32,412 | $1,246.62 | $15.53 | - |
| Step 7 | $33,338 | $1,282.23 | $15.97 | - |
| Step 8 | $34,264 | $1,317.85 | $16.42 | - |
| Step 9 | $35,190 | $1,353.46 | $16.86 | - |
| Step 10 | $36,116 | $1,389.08 | $17.31 | - |
Who is a GS-4?
Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2022, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 42.74% | $39,656 | $51,552 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $37,522 | $48,778 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $37,217 | $48,381 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $37,120 | $48,255 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $36,542 | $47,503 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $36,358 | $47,265 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $36,233 | $47,102 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $36,172 | $47,023 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $36,142 | $46,983 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $35,889 | $46,655 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $35,639 | $46,330 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $35,589 | $46,265 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $35,522 | $46,178 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $35,366 | $45,976 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $35,269 | $45,849 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $34,916 | $45,391 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $34,864 | $45,322 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $34,544 | $44,907 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $34,394 | $44,712 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $34,069 | $44,289 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $33,705 | $43,816 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $33,686 | $43,791 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $33,600 | $43,679 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $33,600 | $43,679 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $33,572 | $43,643 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $33,555 | $43,621 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $33,530 | $43,588 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $33,516 | $43,570 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $33,463 | $43,502 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $33,450 | $43,484 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $33,319 | $43,314 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $33,311 | $43,303 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $33,297 | $43,285 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $33,005 | $42,906 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $32,972 | $42,862 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $32,899 | $42,769 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $32,880 | $42,743 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $32,852 | $42,707 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $32,799 | $42,639 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $32,755 | $42,581 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $32,719 | $42,534 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $32,691 | $42,498 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $32,677 | $42,480 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $32,666 | $42,465 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $32,613 | $42,397 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $32,577 | $42,350 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $32,555 | $42,321 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $32,544 | $42,306 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $32,508 | $42,259 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $32,485 | $42,230 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $32,455 | $42,191 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $32,452 | $42,187 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $32,372 | $42,082 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $32,283 | $41,967 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2022
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2022 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
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 2022
GS-4 questions for 2022
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2022 is $27,782 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2022 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 42.74%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.