2025 GS-12 Pay in Raleigh
GS-12 employees with a duty station in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC earn 22.24% on top of the base GS-12 pay scale. That means a GS-12 Step 1 salary jumps from $75,706 on the base table to $92,543 in Raleigh.
2025 GS-12 Pay in Raleigh
Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $92,543 | $3,559.35 | $44.34 | +$16,837 |
| Step 2 | $95,628 | $3,678.00 | $45.82 | +$17,398 |
| Step 3 | $98,714 | $3,796.69 | $47.30 | +$17,960 |
| Step 4 | $101,799 | $3,915.35 | $48.78 | +$18,521 |
| Step 5 | $104,884 | $4,034.00 | $50.26 | +$19,082 |
| Step 6 | $107,970 | $4,152.69 | $51.73 | +$19,644 |
| Step 7 | $111,055 | $4,271.35 | $53.21 | +$20,205 |
| Step 8 | $114,140 | $4,390.00 | $54.69 | +$20,766 |
| Step 9 | $117,226 | $4,508.69 | $56.17 | +$21,328 |
| Step 10 | $120,311 | $4,627.35 | $57.65 | +$21,889 |
2025 GS-12 pay table for Raleigh
Each step below already includes the 22.24% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-12 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $92,543 | $3,559.35 | $44.34 | +$16,837 |
| Step 2 | $95,628 | $3,678.00 | $45.82 | +$17,398 |
| Step 3 | $98,714 | $3,796.69 | $47.30 | +$17,960 |
| Step 4 | $101,799 | $3,915.35 | $48.78 | +$18,521 |
| Step 5 | $104,884 | $4,034.00 | $50.26 | +$19,082 |
| Step 6 | $107,970 | $4,152.69 | $51.73 | +$19,644 |
| Step 7 | $111,055 | $4,271.35 | $53.21 | +$20,205 |
| Step 8 | $114,140 | $4,390.00 | $54.69 | +$20,766 |
| Step 9 | $117,226 | $4,508.69 | $56.17 | +$21,328 |
| Step 10 | $120,311 | $4,627.35 | $57.65 | +$21,889 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Raleigh pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-12 in Raleigh: what to expect
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.
For 2025, the Raleigh pay area adds a 22.24% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-12 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. One year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-13 requires a GS-13 vacancy and selection on merit.
The rough military equivalent for GS-12 is O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-12 in Raleigh
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Raleigh earns roughly $3,559 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,627. 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-12 Raleigh page.
Other grades in Raleigh
GS-12 in Raleigh questions
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How much does a GS-12 make in Raleigh?
In 2025, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in Raleigh earns $92,543 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $120,311. This is 22.24% higher than the base GS-12 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in Raleigh?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Raleigh in 2025, it is 22.24%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $16,837 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in Raleigh?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in Raleigh earns roughly $3,559 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.