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

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$62,677 GS-9 Step 1 in Philadelphia (2023)
$81,478 GS-9 Step 10 in Philadelphia (2023)
+$13,649 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2023 GS-9 pay table for Philadelphia

Each step below already includes the 27.84% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-9 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $62,677 $2,410.65 $30.03 +$13,649
Step 2 $64,766 $2,491.00 $31.03 +$14,104
Step 3 $66,855 $2,571.35 $32.03 +$14,559
Step 4 $68,944 $2,651.69 $33.03 +$15,014
Step 5 $71,033 $2,732.04 $34.04 +$15,469
Step 6 $73,122 $2,812.38 $35.04 +$15,924
Step 7 $75,211 $2,892.73 $36.04 +$16,379
Step 8 $77,300 $2,973.08 $37.04 +$16,834
Step 9 $79,389 $3,053.42 $38.04 +$17,289
Step 10 $81,478 $3,133.77 $39.04 +$17,744
← GS-8 Calculate my take-home GS-10 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more Philadelphia pays

  • Base GS-9 Step 1 $49,028
  • Philadelphia GS-9 Step 1 $62,677
  • Locality add-on +$13,649
  • Adjustment percent 27.84%
  • Base GS-9 Step 10 $63,734
  • Philadelphia GS-9 Step 10 $81,478

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-9 in Philadelphia: what to expect

Full performance for many professional and administrative careers, including management analysts, contract specialists, social workers and IT specialists.

For 2023, the Philadelphia pay area adds a 27.84% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-9 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.

Qualifications and career path

Minimum qualifications. A master's degree or equivalent graduate education, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-7 level.

Promotion path. Career-ladder promotion to GS-11 after one year of specialized GS-9 experience.

The rough military equivalent for GS-9 is O-3 Captain, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-9 in Philadelphia

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $2,411 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,134. 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-9 Philadelphia page.

Other grades in Philadelphia

GS-9 in Philadelphia questions

  • How much does a GS-9 make in Philadelphia?
    In 2023, a GS-9 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns $62,677 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $81,478. This is 27.84% higher than the base GS-9 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-9 in Philadelphia?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Philadelphia in 2023, it is 27.84%. On a GS-9 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $13,649 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-9 in Philadelphia?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-9 Step 1 employee in Philadelphia earns roughly $2,411 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.