2023 GS-2 Pay Scale
The GS-2 base salary range for 2023 is $23,612 at Step 1, rising to $29,716 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-2 for 2023.
2023 GS-2 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-2 rates for 2023.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $23,612 | $908.15 | $11.31 | - |
| Step 2 | $24,174 | $929.77 | $11.58 | - |
| Step 3 | $24,956 | $959.85 | $11.96 | - |
| Step 4 | $25,617 | $985.27 | $12.27 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,906 | $996.38 | $12.41 | - |
| Step 6 | $26,668 | $1,025.69 | $12.78 | - |
| Step 7 | $27,430 | $1,055.00 | $13.14 | - |
| Step 8 | $28,192 | $1,084.31 | $13.51 | - |
| Step 9 | $28,954 | $1,113.62 | $13.87 | - |
| Step 10 | $29,716 | $1,142.92 | $14.24 | - |
2023 GS-2 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-2 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 | $23,612 | $908.15 | $11.31 | - |
| Step 2 | $24,174 | $929.77 | $11.58 | - |
| Step 3 | $24,956 | $959.85 | $11.96 | - |
| Step 4 | $25,617 | $985.27 | $12.27 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,906 | $996.38 | $12.41 | - |
| Step 6 | $26,668 | $1,025.69 | $12.78 | - |
| Step 7 | $27,430 | $1,055.00 | $13.14 | - |
| Step 8 | $28,192 | $1,084.31 | $13.51 | - |
| Step 9 | $28,954 | $1,113.62 | $13.87 | - |
| Step 10 | $29,716 | $1,142.92 | $14.24 | - |
Who is a GS-2?
Typical role. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
Minimum qualifications. High school or equivalent, or three months of general experience.
Career progression. Most GS-2 employees advance to GS-3 after one year.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-2 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-2 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2023, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-2 Step 1 | GS-2 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 44.15% | $34,037 | $42,836 |
| New York-Newark | 36.16% | $32,150 | $40,461 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 34.89% | $31,850 | $40,084 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.47% | $31,751 | $39,959 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 32.49% | $31,284 | $39,371 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 32.01% | $31,170 | $39,228 |
| State of Alaska | 31.32% | $31,007 | $39,023 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.05% | $30,944 | $38,943 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 30.91% | $30,910 | $38,901 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 29.79% | $30,646 | $38,568 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 29.57% | $30,594 | $38,503 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.05% | $30,471 | $38,348 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.37% | $30,311 | $38,146 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 28.30% | $30,294 | $38,126 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 27.84% | $30,186 | $37,989 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 26.39% | $29,843 | $37,558 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.37% | $29,838 | $37,552 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 24.98% | $29,510 | $37,139 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.14% | $29,312 | $36,889 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.02% | $29,047 | $36,557 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 21.74% | $28,745 | $36,176 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 21.69% | $28,733 | $36,161 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 21.44% | $28,674 | $36,087 |
| Richmond | 21.38% | $28,660 | $36,069 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.37% | $28,658 | $36,066 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.35% | $28,653 | $36,060 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.35% | $28,653 | $36,060 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.27% | $28,634 | $36,037 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.17% | $28,611 | $36,007 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 20.96% | $28,561 | $35,944 |
| Laredo | 20.64% | $28,486 | $35,849 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 20.59% | $28,474 | $35,835 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.37% | $28,422 | $35,769 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 19.45% | $28,205 | $35,496 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.40% | $28,193 | $35,481 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.11% | $28,124 | $35,395 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.10% | $28,122 | $35,392 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 18.76% | $28,042 | $35,291 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 18.63% | $28,011 | $35,252 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 18.59% | $28,001 | $35,240 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.40% | $27,957 | $35,184 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.31% | $27,935 | $35,157 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.21% | $27,912 | $35,127 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.18% | $27,905 | $35,118 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.00% | $27,862 | $35,065 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 17.94% | $27,848 | $35,047 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 17.63% | $27,775 | $34,955 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.57% | $27,761 | $34,937 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.52% | $27,749 | $34,922 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.41% | $27,723 | $34,890 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.30% | $27,697 | $34,857 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.13% | $27,657 | $34,806 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.10% | $27,650 | $34,797 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.50% | $27,508 | $34,619 |
Top and bottom GS-2 localities in 2023
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-2 pay scale
GS-2 is part of the 2023 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Basic clerical, file-room and light-labor assignments. Often a starting point for summer hires and interns.
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-2 questions for 2023
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What is the starting salary for GS-2 in 2023?
The base starting salary for GS-2 in 2023 is $23,612 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2023 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 44.15%), GS-2 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-2 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-2 to GS-3?
Promotion from GS-2 to GS-3 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-2 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-3 vacancy. Open the GS-3 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-2?
GS-2 is roughly equivalent to E-3 Private First Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.