2024 GS-5 Pay in Seattle
GS-5 employees with a duty station in Seattle-Tacoma, WA earn 30.81% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $33,878 on the base table to $44,316 in Seattle.
2024 GS-5 Pay in Seattle
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for Seattle-Tacoma, WA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $44,316 | $1,704.46 | $21.23 | +$10,438 |
| Step 2 | $45,793 | $1,761.27 | $21.94 | +$10,786 |
| Step 3 | $47,270 | $1,818.08 | $22.65 | +$11,134 |
| Step 4 | $48,746 | $1,874.85 | $23.36 | +$11,481 |
| Step 5 | $50,223 | $1,931.65 | $24.06 | +$11,829 |
| Step 6 | $51,700 | $1,988.46 | $24.77 | +$12,177 |
| Step 7 | $53,177 | $2,045.27 | $25.48 | +$12,525 |
| Step 8 | $54,654 | $2,102.08 | $26.19 | +$12,873 |
| Step 9 | $56,131 | $2,158.88 | $26.90 | +$13,221 |
| Step 10 | $57,607 | $2,215.65 | $27.60 | +$13,568 |
2024 GS-5 pay table for Seattle
Each step below already includes the 30.81% 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 | $44,316 | $1,704.46 | $21.23 | +$10,438 |
| Step 2 | $45,793 | $1,761.27 | $21.94 | +$10,786 |
| Step 3 | $47,270 | $1,818.08 | $22.65 | +$11,134 |
| Step 4 | $48,746 | $1,874.85 | $23.36 | +$11,481 |
| Step 5 | $50,223 | $1,931.65 | $24.06 | +$11,829 |
| Step 6 | $51,700 | $1,988.46 | $24.77 | +$12,177 |
| Step 7 | $53,177 | $2,045.27 | $25.48 | +$12,525 |
| Step 8 | $54,654 | $2,102.08 | $26.19 | +$12,873 |
| Step 9 | $56,131 | $2,158.88 | $26.90 | +$13,221 |
| Step 10 | $57,607 | $2,215.65 | $27.60 | +$13,568 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Seattle pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in Seattle: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2024, the Seattle pay area adds a 30.81% 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 Seattle
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Seattle earns roughly $1,704 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,216. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2024 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 Seattle page.
Other grades in Seattle
GS-5 in Seattle questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in Seattle?
In 2024, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in Seattle earns $44,316 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $57,607. This is 30.81% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in Seattle?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Seattle in 2024, it is 30.81%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $10,438 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in Seattle?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in Seattle earns roughly $1,704 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.