2025 GS-1 Pay Scale
The GS-1 base salary range for 2025 is $22,360 at Step 1, rising to $27,970 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-1 for 2025.
2025 GS-1 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-1 rates for 2025.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $22,360 | $860.00 | $10.71 | - |
| Step 2 | $23,110 | $888.85 | $11.07 | - |
| Step 3 | $23,853 | $917.42 | $11.43 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,594 | $945.92 | $11.78 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,336 | $974.46 | $12.14 | - |
| Step 6 | $25,770 | $991.15 | $12.35 | - |
| Step 7 | $26,506 | $1,019.46 | $12.70 | - |
| Step 8 | $27,247 | $1,047.96 | $13.06 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,277 | $1,049.12 | $13.07 | - |
| Step 10 | $27,970 | $1,075.77 | $13.40 | - |
2025 GS-1 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-1 salary schedule for 2025, 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 | $22,360 | $860.00 | $10.71 | - |
| Step 2 | $23,110 | $888.85 | $11.07 | - |
| Step 3 | $23,853 | $917.42 | $11.43 | - |
| Step 4 | $24,594 | $945.92 | $11.78 | - |
| Step 5 | $25,336 | $974.46 | $12.14 | - |
| Step 6 | $25,770 | $991.15 | $12.35 | - |
| Step 7 | $26,506 | $1,019.46 | $12.70 | - |
| Step 8 | $27,247 | $1,047.96 | $13.06 | - |
| Step 9 | $27,277 | $1,049.12 | $13.07 | - |
| Step 10 | $27,970 | $1,075.77 | $13.40 | - |
Who is a GS-1?
Typical role. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
Minimum qualifications. No formal education or experience required. Generally filled by workers with basic literacy and ability to follow simple instructions.
Career progression. Promotion to GS-2 typically follows one year of satisfactory service.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-1 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-1 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2025, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-1 Step 1 | GS-1 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $32,722 | $40,931 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $30,846 | $38,585 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $30,515 | $38,171 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $30,186 | $37,760 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $29,949 | $37,463 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $29,900 | $37,401 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $29,645 | $37,083 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $29,596 | $37,021 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $29,533 | $36,943 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $29,419 | $36,800 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $29,260 | $36,602 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $29,184 | $36,506 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $29,014 | $36,294 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $28,871 | $36,115 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $28,842 | $36,079 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $28,536 | $35,695 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $28,455 | $35,595 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $28,203 | $35,279 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $27,876 | $34,870 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $27,679 | $34,624 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $27,380 | $34,249 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $27,373 | $34,241 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $27,371 | $34,238 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $27,342 | $34,202 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $27,333 | $34,191 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $27,331 | $34,188 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $27,326 | $34,182 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $27,313 | $34,165 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $27,264 | $34,104 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $27,259 | $34,098 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $27,188 | $34,009 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $27,150 | $33,961 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $27,062 | $33,852 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $27,004 | $33,779 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $26,910 | $33,662 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $26,866 | $33,606 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $26,839 | $33,572 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $26,758 | $33,472 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $26,736 | $33,444 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $26,709 | $33,410 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $26,705 | $33,405 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $26,671 | $33,363 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $26,602 | $33,276 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $26,593 | $33,265 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $26,564 | $33,228 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $26,559 | $33,223 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $26,459 | $33,097 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $26,438 | $33,072 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $26,436 | $33,069 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $26,418 | $33,047 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $26,387 | $33,007 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $26,369 | $32,985 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $26,358 | $32,971 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $26,311 | $32,912 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $26,307 | $32,907 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $26,302 | $32,901 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $26,277 | $32,870 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $26,175 | $32,742 |
Top and bottom GS-1 localities in 2025
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-1 pay scale
GS-1 is part of the 2025 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Entry-level clerical, labor and support positions. GS-1 is rarely used today; most entry roles now start at GS-2 or GS-3.
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 2025
GS-1 questions for 2025
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What is the starting salary for GS-1 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GS-1 in 2025 is $22,360 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2025 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-1 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-1 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-1 to GS-2?
Promotion from GS-1 to GS-2 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-1 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-2 vacancy. Open the GS-2 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-1?
GS-1 is roughly equivalent to E-2 Private Second Class. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.