2023 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2023 is $20,999 at Step 1, rising to $26,273 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-1 for 2023.
2023 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2023.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $20,999 | $807.65 | $10.06 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,704 | $834.77 | $10.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $22,401 | $861.58 | $10.73 | - |
| Step 4 | $23,097 | $888.35 | $11.07 | - |
| Step 5 | $23,794 | $915.15 | $11.40 | - |
| Step 6 | $24,202 | $930.85 | $11.60 | - |
| Step 7 | $24,893 | $957.42 | $11.93 | - |
| Step 8 | $25,589 | $984.19 | $12.26 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,617 | $985.27 | $12.27 | - |
| Step 10 | $26,273 | $1,010.50 | $12.59 | - |
2023 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2023, 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 | $20,999 | $807.65 | $10.06 | - |
| Step 2 | $21,704 | $834.77 | $10.40 | - |
| Step 3 | $22,401 | $861.58 | $10.73 | - |
| Step 4 | $23,097 | $888.35 | $11.07 | - |
| Step 5 | $23,794 | $915.15 | $11.40 | - |
| Step 6 | $24,202 | $930.85 | $11.60 | - |
| Step 7 | $24,893 | $957.42 | $11.93 | - |
| Step 8 | $25,589 | $984.19 | $12.26 | - |
| Step 9 | $25,617 | $985.27 | $12.27 | - |
| Step 10 | $26,273 | $1,010.50 | $12.59 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2023, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 44.15% | $30,270 | $37,873 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $28,592 | $35,773 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $28,326 | $35,440 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $28,237 | $35,329 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $27,822 | $34,809 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $27,721 | $34,683 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $27,576 | $34,502 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $27,519 | $34,431 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $27,490 | $34,394 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $27,255 | $34,100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $27,208 | $34,042 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $27,099 | $33,905 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $26,956 | $33,727 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $26,942 | $33,708 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $26,845 | $33,587 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $26,541 | $33,206 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $26,536 | $33,201 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $26,245 | $32,836 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $26,068 | $32,615 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $25,833 | $32,321 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $25,564 | $31,985 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $25,554 | $31,972 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $25,501 | $31,906 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $25,489 | $31,890 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $25,486 | $31,888 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $25,482 | $31,882 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $25,482 | $31,882 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $25,465 | $31,861 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $25,444 | $31,835 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $25,400 | $31,780 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $25,333 | $31,696 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $25,323 | $31,683 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $25,276 | $31,625 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $25,083 | $31,383 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $25,073 | $31,370 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $25,012 | $31,294 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $25,010 | $31,291 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $24,938 | $31,202 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $24,911 | $31,168 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $24,903 | $31,157 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $24,863 | $31,107 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $24,844 | $31,084 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $24,823 | $31,057 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $24,817 | $31,049 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $24,779 | $31,002 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $24,766 | $30,986 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $24,701 | $30,905 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $24,689 | $30,889 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $24,678 | $30,876 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $24,655 | $30,847 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $24,632 | $30,818 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $24,596 | $30,774 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $24,590 | $30,766 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $24,464 | $30,608 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2023
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2023 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
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 2023
GS-1 questions for 2023
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2023 is $20,999 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2023 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 44.15%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 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-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.