2025 GS-12 Pay in St. Louis
GS-12 employees with a duty station in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL earn 20.03% 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 $90,870 in St. Louis.
2025 GS-12 Pay in St. Louis
Locality-adjusted GS-12 rates for St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $90,870 | $3,495.00 | $43.54 | +$15,164 |
| Step 2 | $93,899 | $3,611.50 | $44.99 | +$15,669 |
| Step 3 | $96,929 | $3,728.04 | $46.44 | +$16,175 |
| Step 4 | $99,959 | $3,844.58 | $47.90 | +$16,681 |
| Step 5 | $102,988 | $3,961.08 | $49.35 | +$17,186 |
| Step 6 | $106,018 | $4,077.62 | $50.80 | +$17,692 |
| Step 7 | $109,047 | $4,194.12 | $52.25 | +$18,197 |
| Step 8 | $112,077 | $4,310.65 | $53.70 | +$18,703 |
| Step 9 | $115,106 | $4,427.15 | $55.15 | +$19,208 |
| Step 10 | $118,136 | $4,543.69 | $56.61 | +$19,714 |
2025 GS-12 pay table for St. Louis
Each step below already includes the 20.03% 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 | $90,870 | $3,495.00 | $43.54 | +$15,164 |
| Step 2 | $93,899 | $3,611.50 | $44.99 | +$15,669 |
| Step 3 | $96,929 | $3,728.04 | $46.44 | +$16,175 |
| Step 4 | $99,959 | $3,844.58 | $47.90 | +$16,681 |
| Step 5 | $102,988 | $3,961.08 | $49.35 | +$17,186 |
| Step 6 | $106,018 | $4,077.62 | $50.80 | +$17,692 |
| Step 7 | $109,047 | $4,194.12 | $52.25 | +$18,197 |
| Step 8 | $112,077 | $4,310.65 | $53.70 | +$18,703 |
| Step 9 | $115,106 | $4,427.15 | $55.15 | +$19,208 |
| Step 10 | $118,136 | $4,543.69 | $56.61 | +$19,714 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more St. Louis pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-12 in St. Louis: 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 St. Louis pay area adds a 20.03% 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 St. Louis
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $3,495 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $4,544. 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 St. Louis page.
Other grades in St. Louis
GS-12 in St. Louis questions
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How much does a GS-12 make in St. Louis?
In 2025, a GS-12 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns $90,870 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $118,136. This is 20.03% higher than the base GS-12 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-12 in St. Louis?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For St. Louis in 2025, it is 20.03%. On a GS-12 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $15,164 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-12 in St. Louis?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-12 Step 1 employee in St. Louis earns roughly $3,495 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.