2023 GS-13 Pay Scale
The GS-13 base salary range for 2023 is $84,546 at Step 1, rising to $109,908 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-13 for 2023.
2023 GS-13 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-13 rates for 2023.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $84,546 | $3,251.77 | $40.51 | - |
| Step 2 | $87,364 | $3,360.15 | $41.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $90,182 | $3,468.54 | $43.21 | - |
| Step 4 | $93,000 | $3,576.92 | $44.56 | - |
| Step 5 | $95,818 | $3,685.31 | $45.91 | - |
| Step 6 | $98,636 | $3,793.69 | $47.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $101,454 | $3,902.08 | $48.61 | - |
| Step 8 | $104,272 | $4,010.46 | $49.96 | - |
| Step 9 | $107,090 | $4,118.85 | $51.31 | - |
| Step 10 | $109,908 | $4,227.23 | $52.66 | - |
2023 GS-13 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-13 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 | $84,546 | $3,251.77 | $40.51 | - |
| Step 2 | $87,364 | $3,360.15 | $41.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $90,182 | $3,468.54 | $43.21 | - |
| Step 4 | $93,000 | $3,576.92 | $44.56 | - |
| Step 5 | $95,818 | $3,685.31 | $45.91 | - |
| Step 6 | $98,636 | $3,793.69 | $47.26 | - |
| Step 7 | $101,454 | $3,902.08 | $48.61 | - |
| Step 8 | $104,272 | $4,010.46 | $49.96 | - |
| Step 9 | $107,090 | $4,118.85 | $51.31 | - |
| Step 10 | $109,908 | $4,227.23 | $52.66 | - |
Who is a GS-13?
Typical role. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-13 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-13 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2023, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-13 Step 1 | GS-13 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 44.15% | $121,873 | $158,432 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $115,118 | $149,651 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $114,044 | $148,255 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $113,689 | $147,793 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $112,015 | $145,617 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $111,609 | $145,090 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $111,026 | $144,331 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $110,798 | $144,034 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $110,679 | $143,881 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $109,732 | $142,650 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $109,546 | $142,408 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $109,107 | $141,836 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $108,532 | $141,089 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $108,473 | $141,012 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $108,084 | $140,506 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $106,858 | $138,913 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $106,841 | $138,891 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $105,666 | $137,363 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $104,955 | $136,440 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $104,008 | $135,209 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $102,926 | $133,802 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $102,884 | $133,747 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $102,673 | $133,472 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $102,622 | $133,406 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $102,613 | $133,395 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $102,597 | $133,373 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $102,597 | $133,373 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $102,529 | $133,285 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $102,444 | $133,176 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $102,267 | $132,945 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $101,996 | $132,593 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $101,954 | $132,538 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $101,768 | $132,296 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $100,990 | $131,285 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $100,948 | $131,230 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $100,703 | $130,911 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $100,694 | $130,900 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $100,407 | $130,527 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $100,297 | $130,384 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $100,263 | $130,340 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $100,102 | $130,131 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $100,026 | $130,032 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $99,942 | $129,922 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $99,916 | $129,889 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $99,764 | $129,691 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $99,714 | $129,625 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $99,451 | $129,285 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $99,401 | $129,219 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $99,358 | $129,164 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $99,265 | $129,043 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $99,172 | $128,922 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $99,029 | $128,735 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $99,003 | $128,702 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $98,496 | $128,043 |
Top and bottom GS-13 localities in 2023
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-13 pay scale
GS-13 is part of the 2023 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
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-13 questions for 2023
-
What is the starting salary for GS-13 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GS-13 in 2023 is $84,546 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2023 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 44.15%), GS-13 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-13 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-13 to GS-14?
Promotion from GS-13 to GS-14 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-14 vacancy. Open the GS-14 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-13?
GS-13 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.