An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$38,537 GS-5 Step 1 in St. Louis (2023)
$50,103 GS-5 Step 10 in St. Louis (2023)
+$6,180 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2023 GS-5 pay table for St. Louis

Each step below already includes the 19.10% 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 $38,537 $1,482.19 $18.47 +$6,180
Step 2 $39,822 $1,531.62 $19.08 +$6,386
Step 3 $41,107 $1,581.04 $19.70 +$6,592
Step 4 $42,392 $1,630.46 $20.31 +$6,798
Step 5 $43,678 $1,679.92 $20.93 +$7,005
Step 6 $44,963 $1,729.35 $21.54 +$7,211
Step 7 $46,248 $1,778.77 $22.16 +$7,417
Step 8 $47,533 $1,828.19 $22.78 +$7,623
Step 9 $48,818 $1,877.62 $23.39 +$7,829
Step 10 $50,103 $1,927.04 $24.01 +$8,035
← GS-4 Calculate my take-home GS-6 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more St. Louis pays

  • Base GS-5 Step 1 $32,357
  • St. Louis GS-5 Step 1 $38,537
  • Locality add-on +$6,180
  • Adjustment percent 19.10%
  • Base GS-5 Step 10 $42,068
  • St. Louis GS-5 Step 10 $50,103

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-5 in St. Louis: what to expect

Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.

For 2023, the St. Louis pay area adds a 19.10% 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 St. Louis

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,482 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $1,927. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.

Note. This is the archived 2023 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 St. Louis page.

Other grades in St. Louis

GS-5 in St. Louis questions

  • How much does a GS-5 make in St. Louis?
    In 2023, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns $38,537 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $50,103. This is 19.10% higher than the base GS-5 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in St. Louis?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For St. Louis in 2023, it is 19.10%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $6,180 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in St. Louis?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,482 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.