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Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$40,528 GS-5 Step 1 in St. Louis (2024)
$52,684 GS-5 Step 10 in St. Louis (2024)
+$6,650 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2024 GS-5 pay table for St. Louis

Each step below already includes the 19.63% 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 $40,528 $1,558.77 $19.42 +$6,650
Step 2 $41,879 $1,610.73 $20.07 +$6,872
Step 3 $43,229 $1,662.65 $20.71 +$7,093
Step 4 $44,580 $1,714.62 $21.36 +$7,315
Step 5 $45,931 $1,766.58 $22.01 +$7,537
Step 6 $47,281 $1,818.50 $22.66 +$7,758
Step 7 $48,632 $1,870.46 $23.30 +$7,980
Step 8 $49,983 $1,922.42 $23.95 +$8,202
Step 9 $51,333 $1,974.35 $24.60 +$8,423
Step 10 $52,684 $2,026.31 $25.24 +$8,645
← GS-4 Calculate my take-home GS-6 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more St. Louis pays

  • Base GS-5 Step 1 $33,878
  • St. Louis GS-5 Step 1 $40,528
  • Locality add-on +$6,650
  • Adjustment percent 19.63%
  • Base GS-5 Step 10 $44,039
  • St. Louis GS-5 Step 10 $52,684

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-5 in St. Louis: what to expect

Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.

For 2024, the St. Louis pay area adds a 19.63% 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 St. Louis

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,559 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,026. 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 St. Louis page.

Other grades in St. Louis

GS-5 in St. Louis questions

  • How much does a GS-5 make in St. Louis?
    In 2024, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns $40,528 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $52,684. This is 19.63% higher than the base GS-5 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in St. Louis?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For St. Louis in 2024, it is 19.63%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $6,650 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in St. Louis?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $1,559 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.