2024 GS-12 Pay Scale
The GS-12 base salary range for 2024 is $74,441 at Step 1, rising to $96,770 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-12 for 2024.
2024 GS-12 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-12 rates for 2024.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $74,441 | $2,863.12 | $35.67 | - |
| Step 2 | $76,922 | $2,958.54 | $36.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $79,403 | $3,053.96 | $38.05 | - |
| Step 4 | $81,884 | $3,149.38 | $39.24 | - |
| Step 5 | $84,365 | $3,244.81 | $40.42 | - |
| Step 6 | $86,846 | $3,340.23 | $41.61 | - |
| Step 7 | $89,327 | $3,435.65 | $42.80 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,808 | $3,531.08 | $43.99 | - |
| Step 9 | $94,289 | $3,626.50 | $45.18 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,770 | $3,721.92 | $46.37 | - |
2024 GS-12 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-12 salary schedule for 2024, 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 | $74,441 | $2,863.12 | $35.67 | - |
| Step 2 | $76,922 | $2,958.54 | $36.86 | - |
| Step 3 | $79,403 | $3,053.96 | $38.05 | - |
| Step 4 | $81,884 | $3,149.38 | $39.24 | - |
| Step 5 | $84,365 | $3,244.81 | $40.42 | - |
| Step 6 | $86,846 | $3,340.23 | $41.61 | - |
| Step 7 | $89,327 | $3,435.65 | $42.80 | - |
| Step 8 | $91,808 | $3,531.08 | $43.99 | - |
| Step 9 | $94,289 | $3,626.50 | $45.18 | - |
| Step 10 | $96,770 | $3,721.92 | $46.37 | - |
Who is a GS-12?
Typical role. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-12 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-12 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2024, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-12 Step 1 | GS-12 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 45.41% | $108,245 | $140,713 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $102,163 | $132,807 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $101,121 | $131,452 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $100,287 | $130,369 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $99,200 | $128,956 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $99,044 | $128,752 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $98,240 | $127,707 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $98,232 | $127,698 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $97,979 | $127,369 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $97,376 | $126,585 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $97,079 | $126,198 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $96,684 | $125,685 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $96,148 | $124,988 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $95,895 | $124,659 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $95,694 | $124,398 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $94,652 | $123,043 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $94,473 | $122,811 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $93,543 | $121,601 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $92,619 | $120,401 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $91,897 | $119,463 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $90,930 | $118,205 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $90,833 | $118,079 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $90,825 | $118,069 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $90,811 | $118,050 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $90,751 | $117,972 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $90,744 | $117,963 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $90,669 | $117,866 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $90,662 | $117,856 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $90,587 | $117,759 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $90,431 | $117,556 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $90,319 | $117,411 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $90,178 | $117,227 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $89,910 | $116,879 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $89,515 | $116,366 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $89,322 | $116,114 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $89,128 | $115,863 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $89,054 | $115,766 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $88,778 | $115,408 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $88,756 | $115,379 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $88,659 | $115,253 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $88,562 | $115,127 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $88,525 | $115,079 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $88,332 | $114,827 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $88,324 | $114,818 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $88,205 | $114,663 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $88,183 | $114,634 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $87,878 | $114,237 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $87,796 | $114,131 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $87,773 | $114,102 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $87,758 | $114,082 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $87,602 | $113,879 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $87,543 | $113,802 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $87,394 | $113,608 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $87,357 | $113,560 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $87,230 | $113,395 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $87,208 | $113,366 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $87,178 | $113,327 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $86,962 | $113,047 |
Top and bottom GS-12 localities in 2024
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-12 pay scale
GS-12 is part of the 2024 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
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 2024
GS-12 questions for 2024
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What is the starting salary for GS-12 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GS-12 in 2024 is $74,441 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2024 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 45.41%), GS-12 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-12 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-12 to GS-13?
Promotion from GS-12 to GS-13 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-13 vacancy. Open the GS-13 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-12?
GS-12 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.