2025 GS-13 Pay in Chicago
GS-13 employees with a duty station in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI earn 30.86% on top of the base GS-13 pay scale. That means a GS-13 Step 1 salary jumps from $90,025 on the base table to $117,807 in Chicago.
2025 GS-13 Pay in Chicago
Locality-adjusted GS-13 rates for Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $117,807 | $4,531.04 | $56.45 | +$27,782 |
| Step 2 | $121,734 | $4,682.08 | $58.33 | +$28,708 |
| Step 3 | $125,661 | $4,833.12 | $60.21 | +$29,634 |
| Step 4 | $129,588 | $4,984.15 | $62.09 | +$30,560 |
| Step 5 | $133,515 | $5,135.19 | $63.97 | +$31,486 |
| Step 6 | $137,442 | $5,286.23 | $65.86 | +$32,412 |
| Step 7 | $141,369 | $5,437.27 | $67.74 | +$33,338 |
| Step 8 | $145,296 | $5,588.31 | $69.62 | +$34,264 |
| Step 9 | $149,224 | $5,739.38 | $71.50 | +$35,191 |
| Step 10 | $153,151 | $5,890.42 | $73.38 | +$36,117 |
2025 GS-13 pay table for Chicago
Each step below already includes the 30.86% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-13 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $117,807 | $4,531.04 | $56.45 | +$27,782 |
| Step 2 | $121,734 | $4,682.08 | $58.33 | +$28,708 |
| Step 3 | $125,661 | $4,833.12 | $60.21 | +$29,634 |
| Step 4 | $129,588 | $4,984.15 | $62.09 | +$30,560 |
| Step 5 | $133,515 | $5,135.19 | $63.97 | +$31,486 |
| Step 6 | $137,442 | $5,286.23 | $65.86 | +$32,412 |
| Step 7 | $141,369 | $5,437.27 | $67.74 | +$33,338 |
| Step 8 | $145,296 | $5,588.31 | $69.62 | +$34,264 |
| Step 9 | $149,224 | $5,739.38 | $71.50 | +$35,191 |
| Step 10 | $153,151 | $5,890.42 | $73.38 | +$36,117 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more Chicago pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-13 in Chicago: what to expect
Senior specialists, first-line supervisors and subject-matter experts. Many IT, acquisition, legal and program-manager roles live at GS-13.
For 2025, the Chicago pay area adds a 30.86% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-13 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-12 level.
Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-14 requires a GS-14 vacancy, often with supervisory responsibilities.
The rough military equivalent for GS-13 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-13 in Chicago
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $4,531 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $5,890. 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-13 Chicago page.
Other grades in Chicago
GS-13 in Chicago questions
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How much does a GS-13 make in Chicago?
In 2025, a GS-13 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns $117,807 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $153,151. This is 30.86% higher than the base GS-13 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-13 in Chicago?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Chicago in 2025, it is 30.86%. On a GS-13 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $27,782 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-13 in Chicago?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-13 Step 1 employee in Chicago earns roughly $4,531 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.