2025 GS-12 Pay Scale
The GS-12 base salary range for 2025 is $75,706 at Step 1, rising to $98,422 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-12 for 2025.
2025 GS-12 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-12 rates for 2025.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $75,706 | $2,911.77 | $36.28 | - |
| Step 2 | $78,230 | $3,008.85 | $37.48 | - |
| Step 3 | $80,754 | $3,105.92 | $38.69 | - |
| Step 4 | $83,278 | $3,203.00 | $39.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $85,802 | $3,300.08 | $41.11 | - |
| Step 6 | $88,326 | $3,397.15 | $42.32 | - |
| Step 7 | $90,850 | $3,494.23 | $43.53 | - |
| Step 8 | $93,374 | $3,591.31 | $44.74 | - |
| Step 9 | $95,898 | $3,688.38 | $45.95 | - |
| Step 10 | $98,422 | $3,785.46 | $47.16 | - |
2025 GS-12 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-12 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 | $75,706 | $2,911.77 | $36.28 | - |
| Step 2 | $78,230 | $3,008.85 | $37.48 | - |
| Step 3 | $80,754 | $3,105.92 | $38.69 | - |
| Step 4 | $83,278 | $3,203.00 | $39.90 | - |
| Step 5 | $85,802 | $3,300.08 | $41.11 | - |
| Step 6 | $88,326 | $3,397.15 | $42.32 | - |
| Step 7 | $90,850 | $3,494.23 | $43.53 | - |
| Step 8 | $93,374 | $3,591.31 | $44.74 | - |
| Step 9 | $95,898 | $3,688.38 | $45.95 | - |
| Step 10 | $98,422 | $3,785.46 | $47.16 | - |
Who is a GS-12?
Typical role. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Career progression. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-12 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-12 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2025, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-12 Step 1 | GS-12 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $110,788 | $144,031 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $104,436 | $135,773 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $103,316 | $134,317 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $102,203 | $132,870 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $101,401 | $131,826 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $101,234 | $131,610 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $100,371 | $130,488 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $100,204 | $130,271 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $99,992 | $129,996 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $99,606 | $129,494 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $99,069 | $128,795 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $98,811 | $128,460 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $98,236 | $127,712 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $97,752 | $127,082 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $97,653 | $126,955 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $96,616 | $125,606 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $96,343 | $125,252 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $95,488 | $124,140 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $94,383 | $122,703 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $93,716 | $121,837 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $92,702 | $120,518 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $92,679 | $120,488 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $92,672 | $120,478 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $92,573 | $120,350 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $92,543 | $120,311 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $92,535 | $120,301 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $92,520 | $120,282 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $92,475 | $120,222 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $92,308 | $120,006 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $92,293 | $119,986 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $92,051 | $119,671 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $91,922 | $119,504 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $91,627 | $119,120 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $91,430 | $118,864 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $91,112 | $118,451 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $90,961 | $118,254 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $90,870 | $118,136 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $90,597 | $117,782 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $90,522 | $117,683 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $90,431 | $117,565 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $90,416 | $117,545 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $90,302 | $117,398 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $90,067 | $117,093 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $90,037 | $117,053 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $89,939 | $116,925 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $89,924 | $116,906 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $89,583 | $116,463 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $89,515 | $116,374 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $89,507 | $116,364 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $89,447 | $116,286 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $89,341 | $116,148 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $89,280 | $116,069 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $89,242 | $116,020 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $89,083 | $115,813 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $89,068 | $115,793 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $89,053 | $115,774 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $88,970 | $115,666 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $88,621 | $115,213 |
Top and bottom GS-12 localities in 2025
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-12 pay scale
GS-12 is part of the 2025 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Experienced professionals and working-level experts. This is the most common GS grade for mid-career federal employees. Many policy, acquisition, engineering and scientific specialists sit at GS-12.
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-12 questions for 2025
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What is the starting salary for GS-12 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GS-12 in 2025 is $75,706 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2025 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-12 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-12 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-12 to GS-13?
Promotion from GS-12 to GS-13 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-13 vacancy. Open the GS-13 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-12?
GS-12 is roughly equivalent to O-5 Lieutenant Colonel. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.