An independent federal pay resource. Not affiliated with OPM or any U.S. government agency.

Updated with current federal pay tables and reference data

$143,616 GS-14 Step 1 in Houston (2025)
$186,700 GS-14 Step 10 in Houston (2025)
+$37,234 Locality add-on at Step 1 vs. base

2025 GS-14 pay table for Houston

Each step below already includes the 35.00% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-14 table.

Step Annual salary Biweekly pay Hourly rate Locality add-on
Step 1 $143,616 $5,523.69 $68.81 +$37,234
Step 2 $148,403 $5,707.81 $71.11 +$38,475
Step 3 $153,190 $5,891.92 $73.40 +$39,716
Step 4 $157,977 $6,076.04 $75.70 +$40,957
Step 5 $162,764 $6,260.15 $77.99 +$42,198
Step 6 $167,551 $6,444.27 $80.28 +$43,439
Step 7 $172,338 $6,628.38 $82.58 +$44,680
Step 8 $177,125 $6,812.50 $84.87 +$45,921
Step 9 $181,913 $6,996.65 $87.16 +$47,163
Step 10 $186,700 $7,180.77 $89.46 +$48,404
← GS-13 Calculate my take-home GS-15 →

Base vs. locality comparison

How much more Houston pays

  • Base GS-14 Step 1 $106,382
  • Houston GS-14 Step 1 $143,616
  • Locality add-on +$37,234
  • Adjustment percent 35.00%
  • Base GS-14 Step 10 $138,296
  • Houston GS-14 Step 10 $186,700

Step-increase waiting periods

  • Step 1 → Step 2 52 weeks
  • Step 2 → Step 3 52 weeks
  • Step 3 → Step 4 52 weeks
  • Step 4 → Step 5 104 weeks
  • Step 5 → Step 6 104 weeks
  • Step 6 → Step 7 104 weeks
  • Step 7 → Step 8 156 weeks
  • Step 8 → Step 9 156 weeks
  • Step 9 → Step 10 156 weeks

GS-14 in Houston: what to expect

Supervisory managers, senior program leads and senior technical experts. Many agency branch chiefs sit at GS-14.

For 2025, the Houston pay area adds a 35.00% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-14 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-13 level.

Promotion path. Competitive promotion to GS-15 is selective; many GS-14 employees reach this grade as a career peak.

The rough military equivalent for GS-14 is O-6 Colonel, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.

Biweekly take-home for GS-14 in Houston

Before taxes and deductions, a GS-14 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $5,524 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $7,181. 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-14 Houston page.

Other grades in Houston

GS-14 in Houston questions

  • How much does a GS-14 make in Houston?
    In 2025, a GS-14 Step 1 employee in Houston earns $143,616 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $186,700. This is 35.00% higher than the base GS-14 salary.
  • What is the locality adjustment for GS-14 in Houston?
    The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For Houston in 2025, it is 35.00%. On a GS-14 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $37,234 per year.
  • What is the biweekly pay for GS-14 in Houston?
    Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-14 Step 1 employee in Houston earns roughly $5,524 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.