2025 GS-11 Pay in Des Moines
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA earn 18.01% on top of the base GS-11 pay scale. That means a GS-11 Step 1 salary jumps from $63,163 on the base table to $74,539 in Des Moines.
2025 GS-11 Pay in Des Moines
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $74,539 | $2,866.88 | $35.72 | +$11,376 |
| Step 2 | $77,023 | $2,962.42 | $36.91 | +$11,755 |
| Step 3 | $79,507 | $3,057.96 | $38.10 | +$12,134 |
| Step 4 | $81,991 | $3,153.50 | $39.29 | +$12,513 |
| Step 5 | $84,475 | $3,249.04 | $40.48 | +$12,892 |
| Step 6 | $86,959 | $3,344.58 | $41.67 | +$13,271 |
| Step 7 | $89,443 | $3,440.12 | $42.86 | +$13,650 |
| Step 8 | $91,927 | $3,535.65 | $44.05 | +$14,029 |
| Step 9 | $94,412 | $3,631.23 | $45.24 | +$14,409 |
| Step 10 | $96,896 | $3,726.77 | $46.43 | +$14,788 |
2025 GS-11 pay table for Des Moines
Each step below already includes the 18.01% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-11 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $74,539 | $2,866.88 | $35.72 | +$11,376 |
| Step 2 | $77,023 | $2,962.42 | $36.91 | +$11,755 |
| Step 3 | $79,507 | $3,057.96 | $38.10 | +$12,134 |
| Step 4 | $81,991 | $3,153.50 | $39.29 | +$12,513 |
| Step 5 | $84,475 | $3,249.04 | $40.48 | +$12,892 |
| Step 6 | $86,959 | $3,344.58 | $41.67 | +$13,271 |
| Step 7 | $89,443 | $3,440.12 | $42.86 | +$13,650 |
| Step 8 | $91,927 | $3,535.65 | $44.05 | +$14,029 |
| Step 9 | $94,412 | $3,631.23 | $45.24 | +$14,409 |
| Step 10 | $96,896 | $3,726.77 | $46.43 | +$14,788 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Des Moines pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Des Moines: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2025, the Des Moines pay area adds a 18.01% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-11 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, or one year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level.
Promotion path. Typical career ladder peak for entry-level hires; competitive promotion to GS-12 requires vacancy and supervisory selection.
The rough military equivalent for GS-11 is O-4 Major, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-11 in Des Moines
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Des Moines earns roughly $2,867 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $3,727. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2025 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-11 Des Moines page.
Other grades in Des Moines
GS-11 in Des Moines questions
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How much does a GS-11 make in Des Moines?
In 2025, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Des Moines earns $74,539 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $96,896. This is 18.01% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Des Moines?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Des Moines in 2025, it is 18.01%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $11,376 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Des Moines?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Des Moines earns roughly $2,867 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.