2025 GS-11 Pay in Washington DC
GS-11 employees with a duty station in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA earn 33.94% 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 $84,601 in Washington DC.
2025 GS-11 Pay in Washington DC
Locality-adjusted GS-11 rates for Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $84,601 | $3,253.88 | $40.54 | +$21,438 |
| Step 2 | $87,420 | $3,362.31 | $41.89 | +$22,152 |
| Step 3 | $90,239 | $3,470.73 | $43.24 | +$22,866 |
| Step 4 | $93,059 | $3,579.19 | $44.59 | +$23,581 |
| Step 5 | $95,878 | $3,687.62 | $45.94 | +$24,295 |
| Step 6 | $98,698 | $3,796.08 | $47.29 | +$25,010 |
| Step 7 | $101,517 | $3,904.50 | $48.64 | +$25,724 |
| Step 8 | $104,337 | $4,012.96 | $49.99 | +$26,439 |
| Step 9 | $107,156 | $4,121.38 | $51.34 | +$27,153 |
| Step 10 | $109,975 | $4,229.81 | $52.70 | +$27,867 |
2025 GS-11 pay table for Washington DC
Each step below already includes the 33.94% 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 | $84,601 | $3,253.88 | $40.54 | +$21,438 |
| Step 2 | $87,420 | $3,362.31 | $41.89 | +$22,152 |
| Step 3 | $90,239 | $3,470.73 | $43.24 | +$22,866 |
| Step 4 | $93,059 | $3,579.19 | $44.59 | +$23,581 |
| Step 5 | $95,878 | $3,687.62 | $45.94 | +$24,295 |
| Step 6 | $98,698 | $3,796.08 | $47.29 | +$25,010 |
| Step 7 | $101,517 | $3,904.50 | $48.64 | +$25,724 |
| Step 8 | $104,337 | $4,012.96 | $49.99 | +$26,439 |
| Step 9 | $107,156 | $4,121.38 | $51.34 | +$27,153 |
| Step 10 | $109,975 | $4,229.81 | $52.70 | +$27,867 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Washington DC pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-11 in Washington DC: what to expect
Full performance for most professional careers: budget analysts, program managers, engineers, IT specialists and criminal investigators.
For 2025, the Washington DC pay area adds a 33.94% 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 Washington DC
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $3,254 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,230. 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 Washington DC page.
Other grades in Washington DC
GS-11 in Washington DC questions
-
How much does a GS-11 make in Washington DC?
In 2025, a GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns $84,601 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $109,975. This is 33.94% higher than the base GS-11 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-11 in Washington DC?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Washington DC in 2025, it is 33.94%. On a GS-11 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $21,438 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-11 in Washington DC?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-11 Step 1 employee in Washington DC earns roughly $3,254 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.