2022 GS-5 Pay in Chicago
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 29.18% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $31,083 on the base table to $40,153 in Chicago.
2022 GS-5 Pay in Chicago
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $40,153 | $1,544.35 | $19.24 | +$9,070 |
| Step 2 | $41,491 | $1,595.81 | $19.88 | +$9,372 |
| Step 3 | $42,830 | $1,647.31 | $20.52 | +$9,675 |
| Step 4 | $44,168 | $1,698.77 | $21.16 | +$9,977 |
| Step 5 | $45,506 | $1,750.23 | $21.80 | +$10,279 |
| Step 6 | $46,845 | $1,801.73 | $22.45 | +$10,582 |
| Step 7 | $48,183 | $1,853.19 | $23.09 | +$10,884 |
| Step 8 | $49,521 | $1,904.65 | $23.73 | +$11,186 |
| Step 9 | $50,859 | $1,956.12 | $24.37 | +$11,488 |
| Step 10 | $52,198 | $2,007.62 | $25.01 | +$11,791 |
2022 GS-5 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 29.18% 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 | $40,153 | $1,544.35 | $19.24 | +$9,070 |
| Step 2 | $41,491 | $1,595.81 | $19.88 | +$9,372 |
| Step 3 | $42,830 | $1,647.31 | $20.52 | +$9,675 |
| Step 4 | $44,168 | $1,698.77 | $21.16 | +$9,977 |
| Step 5 | $45,506 | $1,750.23 | $21.80 | +$10,279 |
| Step 6 | $46,845 | $1,801.73 | $22.45 | +$10,582 |
| Step 7 | $48,183 | $1,853.19 | $23.09 | +$10,884 |
| Step 8 | $49,521 | $1,904.65 | $23.73 | +$11,186 |
| Step 9 | $50,859 | $1,956.12 | $24.37 | +$11,488 |
| Step 10 | $52,198 | $2,007.62 | $25.01 | +$11,791 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Chicago pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in Chicago: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2022, the Chicago pay area adds a 29.18% 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 Chicago
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $1,544 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,008. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2022 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 Chicago page.
Other grades in Chicago
GS-5 in Chicago questions
-
How much does a GS-5 make in Chicago?
In 2022, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $40,153 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $52,198. This is 29.18% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in Chicago?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Chicago in 2022, it is 29.18%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $9,070 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in Chicago?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $1,544 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.