2022 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2022 is $31,083 at Step 1, rising to $40,407 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-5 for 2022.
2022 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2022.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $31,083 | $1,195.50 | $14.89 | - |
| Step 2 | $32,119 | $1,235.35 | $15.39 | - |
| Step 3 | $33,155 | $1,275.19 | $15.89 | - |
| Step 4 | $34,191 | $1,315.04 | $16.38 | - |
| Step 5 | $35,227 | $1,354.88 | $16.88 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,263 | $1,394.73 | $17.38 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,299 | $1,434.58 | $17.87 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,335 | $1,474.42 | $18.37 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,371 | $1,514.27 | $18.86 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,407 | $1,554.12 | $19.36 | - |
2022 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $31,083 | $1,195.50 | $14.89 | - |
| Step 2 | $32,119 | $1,235.35 | $15.39 | - |
| Step 3 | $33,155 | $1,275.19 | $15.89 | - |
| Step 4 | $34,191 | $1,315.04 | $16.38 | - |
| Step 5 | $35,227 | $1,354.88 | $16.88 | - |
| Step 6 | $36,263 | $1,394.73 | $17.38 | - |
| Step 7 | $37,299 | $1,434.58 | $17.87 | - |
| Step 8 | $38,335 | $1,474.42 | $18.37 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,371 | $1,514.27 | $18.86 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,407 | $1,554.12 | $19.36 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2022, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 42.74% | $44,368 | $57,677 |
| New York-Newark | 35.06% | $41,981 | $54,574 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 33.96% | $41,639 | $54,129 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 33.61% | $41,530 | $53,988 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 31.53% | $40,883 | $53,147 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 30.87% | $40,678 | $52,881 |
| State of Alaska | 30.42% | $40,538 | $52,699 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.20% | $40,470 | $52,610 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 30.09% | $40,436 | $52,565 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.18% | $40,153 | $52,198 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 28.28% | $39,873 | $51,834 |
| Denver-Aurora | 28.10% | $39,817 | $51,761 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 27.86% | $39,743 | $51,664 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 27.30% | $39,569 | $51,438 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 26.95% | $39,460 | $51,297 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 25.68% | $39,065 | $50,784 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 25.49% | $39,006 | $50,707 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.34% | $38,649 | $50,242 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 23.80% | $38,481 | $50,024 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 22.63% | $38,117 | $49,551 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.32% | $37,710 | $49,022 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.25% | $37,688 | $48,993 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 20.94% | $37,592 | $48,868 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 20.94% | $37,592 | $48,868 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 20.84% | $37,561 | $48,828 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 20.78% | $37,542 | $48,804 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 20.69% | $37,514 | $48,767 |
| Richmond | 20.64% | $37,499 | $48,747 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.45% | $37,439 | $48,670 |
| State of Hawaii | 20.40% | $37,424 | $48,650 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 19.93% | $37,278 | $48,460 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 19.90% | $37,269 | $48,448 |
| Laredo | 19.85% | $37,253 | $48,428 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 18.80% | $36,927 | $48,004 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 18.68% | $36,889 | $47,955 |
| Colorado Springs | 18.42% | $36,808 | $47,850 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 18.35% | $36,787 | $47,822 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.25% | $36,756 | $47,781 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.06% | $36,697 | $47,705 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 17.90% | $36,647 | $47,640 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 17.77% | $36,606 | $47,587 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 17.67% | $36,575 | $47,547 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 17.62% | $36,560 | $47,527 |
| Davenport-Moline | 17.58% | $36,547 | $47,511 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 17.39% | $36,488 | $47,434 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.26% | $36,448 | $47,381 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.18% | $36,423 | $47,349 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.14% | $36,411 | $47,333 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.01% | $36,370 | $47,280 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 16.93% | $36,345 | $47,248 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 16.82% | $36,311 | $47,203 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 16.81% | $36,308 | $47,199 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 16.52% | $36,218 | $47,082 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.20% | $36,118 | $46,953 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2022
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2022 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2022
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2022?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2022 is $31,083 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2022 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 42.74%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.