2024 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2024 is $30,280 at Step 1, rising to $39,361 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-4 for 2024.
2024 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2024.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $30,280 | $1,164.62 | $14.51 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,289 | $1,203.42 | $14.99 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,298 | $1,242.23 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,307 | $1,281.04 | $15.96 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,316 | $1,319.85 | $16.44 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,325 | $1,358.65 | $16.93 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,334 | $1,397.46 | $17.41 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,343 | $1,436.27 | $17.89 | - |
| Step 9 | $38,352 | $1,475.08 | $18.38 | - |
| Step 10 | $39,361 | $1,513.88 | $18.86 | - |
2024 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $30,280 | $1,164.62 | $14.51 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,289 | $1,203.42 | $14.99 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,298 | $1,242.23 | $15.48 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,307 | $1,281.04 | $15.96 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,316 | $1,319.85 | $16.44 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,325 | $1,358.65 | $16.93 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,334 | $1,397.46 | $17.41 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,343 | $1,436.27 | $17.89 | - |
| Step 9 | $38,352 | $1,475.08 | $18.38 | - |
| Step 10 | $39,361 | $1,513.88 | $18.86 | - |
Who is a GS-4?
Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2024, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 45.41% | $44,030 | $57,235 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $41,556 | $54,019 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $41,132 | $53,468 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $40,793 | $53,027 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $40,351 | $52,452 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $40,288 | $52,370 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $39,961 | $51,945 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $39,957 | $51,941 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $39,855 | $51,807 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $39,609 | $51,488 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $39,488 | $51,331 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $39,328 | $51,122 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $39,110 | $50,839 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $39,007 | $50,705 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $38,925 | $50,599 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $38,501 | $50,048 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $38,428 | $49,953 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $38,050 | $49,461 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $37,674 | $48,973 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $37,381 | $48,591 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $36,987 | $48,079 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $36,948 | $48,028 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $36,945 | $48,024 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $36,939 | $48,016 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $36,914 | $47,985 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $36,911 | $47,981 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $36,881 | $47,942 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $36,878 | $47,938 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $36,848 | $47,898 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $36,784 | $47,816 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $36,739 | $47,757 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $36,681 | $47,682 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $36,572 | $47,540 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $36,412 | $47,332 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $36,333 | $47,229 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $36,254 | $47,127 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $36,224 | $47,088 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $36,112 | $46,942 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $36,103 | $46,930 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $36,063 | $46,879 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $36,024 | $46,828 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $36,009 | $46,808 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $35,930 | $46,706 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $35,927 | $46,702 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $35,879 | $46,639 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $35,870 | $46,627 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $35,746 | $46,466 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $35,712 | $46,422 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $35,703 | $46,411 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $35,697 | $46,403 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $35,634 | $46,320 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $35,609 | $46,289 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $35,549 | $46,210 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $35,534 | $46,190 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $35,482 | $46,123 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $35,473 | $46,111 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $35,461 | $46,096 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $35,373 | $45,982 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2024
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2024 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
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-4 questions for 2024
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2024 is $30,280 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2024 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 45.41%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.