2024 GS-5 Pay Scale
The GS-5 base salary range for 2024 is $33,878 at Step 1, rising to $44,039 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-5 for 2024.
2024 GS-5 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-5 rates for 2024.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $33,878 | $1,303.00 | $16.23 | - |
| Step 2 | $35,007 | $1,346.42 | $16.77 | - |
| Step 3 | $36,136 | $1,389.85 | $17.31 | - |
| Step 4 | $37,265 | $1,433.27 | $17.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $38,394 | $1,476.69 | $18.40 | - |
| Step 6 | $39,523 | $1,520.12 | $18.94 | - |
| Step 7 | $40,652 | $1,563.54 | $19.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $41,781 | $1,606.96 | $20.02 | - |
| Step 9 | $42,910 | $1,650.38 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 10 | $44,039 | $1,693.81 | $21.10 | - |
2024 GS-5 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-5 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 | $33,878 | $1,303.00 | $16.23 | - |
| Step 2 | $35,007 | $1,346.42 | $16.77 | - |
| Step 3 | $36,136 | $1,389.85 | $17.31 | - |
| Step 4 | $37,265 | $1,433.27 | $17.86 | - |
| Step 5 | $38,394 | $1,476.69 | $18.40 | - |
| Step 6 | $39,523 | $1,520.12 | $18.94 | - |
| Step 7 | $40,652 | $1,563.54 | $19.48 | - |
| Step 8 | $41,781 | $1,606.96 | $20.02 | - |
| Step 9 | $42,910 | $1,650.38 | $20.56 | - |
| Step 10 | $44,039 | $1,693.81 | $21.10 | - |
Who is a GS-5?
Typical role. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Career progression. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-5 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-5 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2024, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-5 Step 1 | GS-5 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 45.41% | $49,262 | $64,037 |
| New York-Newark | 37.24% | $46,494 | $60,439 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 35.84% | $46,020 | $59,823 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 34.72% | $45,640 | $59,329 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.26% | $45,146 | $58,686 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.05% | $45,075 | $58,594 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 31.97% | $44,709 | $58,118 |
| State of Alaska | 31.96% | $44,705 | $58,114 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 31.62% | $44,590 | $57,964 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 30.81% | $44,316 | $57,607 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.41% | $44,180 | $57,431 |
| Denver-Aurora | 29.88% | $44,001 | $57,198 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.16% | $43,757 | $56,881 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 28.82% | $43,642 | $56,731 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.55% | $43,550 | $56,612 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.15% | $43,076 | $55,996 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 26.91% | $42,995 | $55,890 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 25.66% | $42,571 | $55,339 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.42% | $42,151 | $54,793 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.45% | $41,822 | $54,366 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.15% | $41,382 | $53,794 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.02% | $41,338 | $53,736 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.01% | $41,335 | $53,732 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 21.99% | $41,328 | $53,723 |
| Richmond | 21.91% | $41,301 | $53,688 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 21.90% | $41,297 | $53,684 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 21.80% | $41,263 | $53,640 |
| State of Hawaii | 21.79% | $41,260 | $53,635 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.69% | $41,226 | $53,591 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.48% | $41,155 | $53,499 |
| Laredo | 21.33% | $41,104 | $53,433 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.14% | $41,040 | $53,349 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 20.78% | $40,918 | $53,190 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.25% | $40,738 | $52,957 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 19.99% | $40,650 | $52,842 |
| Colorado Springs | 19.73% | $40,562 | $52,728 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 19.63% | $40,528 | $52,684 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.26% | $40,403 | $52,521 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.23% | $40,393 | $52,508 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.10% | $40,349 | $52,450 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 18.97% | $40,305 | $52,393 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 18.92% | $40,288 | $52,371 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.66% | $40,200 | $52,257 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.65% | $40,196 | $52,252 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.49% | $40,142 | $52,182 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.46% | $40,132 | $52,169 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.05% | $39,993 | $51,988 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 17.94% | $39,956 | $51,940 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 17.91% | $39,946 | $51,926 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 17.89% | $39,939 | $51,918 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 17.68% | $39,868 | $51,825 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.60% | $39,841 | $51,790 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.40% | $39,773 | $51,702 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.35% | $39,756 | $51,680 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.18% | $39,698 | $51,605 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.15% | $39,688 | $51,592 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.11% | $39,675 | $51,574 |
| Rest of U.S. | 16.82% | $39,576 | $51,446 |
Top and bottom GS-5 localities in 2024
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-5 pay scale
GS-5 is part of the 2024 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
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-5 questions for 2024
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What is the starting salary for GS-5 in 2024?
The base starting salary for GS-5 in 2024 is $33,878 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2024 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 45.41%), GS-5 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-5 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-5 to GS-6?
Promotion from GS-5 to GS-6 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-5 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-6 vacancy. Open the GS-6 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-5?
GS-5 is roughly equivalent to E-6 Staff Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.