2025 GS-4 Pay Scale
The GS-4 base salary range for 2025 is $30,795 at Step 1, rising to $40,038 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-4 for 2025.
2025 GS-4 Pay Scale
Nationwide base GS-4 rates for 2025.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $30,795 | $1,184.42 | $14.76 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,822 | $1,223.92 | $15.25 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,849 | $1,263.42 | $15.74 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,876 | $1,302.92 | $16.23 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,903 | $1,342.42 | $16.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,930 | $1,381.92 | $17.22 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,957 | $1,421.42 | $17.71 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,984 | $1,460.92 | $18.20 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,011 | $1,500.42 | $18.69 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,038 | $1,539.92 | $19.18 | - |
2025 GS-4 base salary, all 10 steps
This is the nationwide base GS-4 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 | $30,795 | $1,184.42 | $14.76 | - |
| Step 2 | $31,822 | $1,223.92 | $15.25 | - |
| Step 3 | $32,849 | $1,263.42 | $15.74 | - |
| Step 4 | $33,876 | $1,302.92 | $16.23 | - |
| Step 5 | $34,903 | $1,342.42 | $16.72 | - |
| Step 6 | $35,930 | $1,381.92 | $17.22 | - |
| Step 7 | $36,957 | $1,421.42 | $17.71 | - |
| Step 8 | $37,984 | $1,460.92 | $18.20 | - |
| Step 9 | $39,011 | $1,500.42 | $18.69 | - |
| Step 10 | $40,038 | $1,539.92 | $19.18 | - |
Who is a GS-4?
Typical role. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
Minimum qualifications. Two years of post-secondary education, an associate's degree, or one year of GS-3 equivalent experience.
Career progression. Usually promoted to GS-5 after one year in the grade.
Step-increase waiting periods
Within-grade step increases happen automatically as long as your performance is acceptable.
GS-4 locality-adjusted salary for every pay area
Most federal employees receive locality pay on top of their base salary. The table below shows GS-4 Step 1 and Step 10 for every OPM locality pay area in 2025, sorted from highest to lowest adjustment.
| Locality pay area | Adjustment | GS-4 Step 1 | GS-4 Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland | 46.34% | $45,065 | $58,592 |
| New York-Newark | 37.95% | $42,482 | $55,232 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 36.47% | $42,026 | $54,640 |
| Houston-The Woodlands | 35.00% | $41,573 | $54,051 |
| Washington-Baltimore-Arlington | 33.94% | $41,247 | $53,627 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | 33.72% | $41,179 | $53,539 |
| Boston-Worcester-Providence | 32.58% | $40,828 | $53,082 |
| State of Alaska | 32.36% | $40,760 | $52,994 |
| Hartford-East Hartford | 32.08% | $40,674 | $52,882 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 31.57% | $40,517 | $52,678 |
| Chicago-Naperville | 30.86% | $40,298 | $52,394 |
| Denver-Aurora | 30.52% | $40,194 | $52,258 |
| Sacramento-Roseville | 29.76% | $39,960 | $51,953 |
| Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor | 29.12% | $39,763 | $51,697 |
| Philadelphia-Reading-Camden | 28.99% | $39,722 | $51,645 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 27.62% | $39,301 | $51,096 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 27.26% | $39,190 | $50,952 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Salem | 26.13% | $38,842 | $50,500 |
| Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale | 24.67% | $38,392 | $49,915 |
| Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs | 23.79% | $38,121 | $49,563 |
| Phoenix-Mesa | 22.45% | $37,708 | $49,027 |
| Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha | 22.42% | $37,699 | $49,015 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean | 22.41% | $37,696 | $49,011 |
| Richmond | 22.28% | $37,656 | $48,958 |
| Raleigh-Durham-Cary | 22.24% | $37,644 | $48,942 |
| Cleveland-Akron-Canton | 22.23% | $37,641 | $48,938 |
| State of Hawaii | 22.21% | $37,635 | $48,930 |
| Columbus-Marion-Zanesville | 22.15% | $37,616 | $48,906 |
| Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville | 21.93% | $37,548 | $48,818 |
| Huntsville-Decatur | 21.91% | $37,542 | $48,810 |
| Laredo | 21.59% | $37,444 | $48,682 |
| Dayton-Springfield-Kettering | 21.42% | $37,391 | $48,614 |
| Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton | 21.03% | $37,271 | $48,458 |
| Albany-Schenectady | 20.77% | $37,191 | $48,354 |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 20.35% | $37,062 | $48,186 |
| Colorado Springs | 20.15% | $37,000 | $48,106 |
| St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington | 20.03% | $36,963 | $48,058 |
| Charlotte-Concord | 19.67% | $36,852 | $47,913 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson | 19.57% | $36,822 | $47,873 |
| Burlington-South Burlington-Barre | 19.45% | $36,785 | $47,825 |
| Harrisburg-Lebanon | 19.43% | $36,778 | $47,817 |
| Tucson-Nogales | 19.28% | $36,732 | $47,757 |
| Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City | 18.97% | $36,637 | $47,633 |
| Davenport-Moline | 18.93% | $36,624 | $47,617 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | 18.80% | $36,584 | $47,565 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall | 18.78% | $36,578 | $47,557 |
| Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas | 18.33% | $36,440 | $47,377 |
| Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega | 18.24% | $36,412 | $47,341 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont | 18.23% | $36,409 | $47,337 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie | 18.15% | $36,384 | $47,305 |
| Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines | 18.01% | $36,341 | $47,249 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | 17.93% | $36,317 | $47,217 |
| Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls | 17.88% | $36,301 | $47,197 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene | 17.67% | $36,236 | $47,113 |
| Fresno-Madera-Hanford | 17.65% | $36,230 | $47,105 |
| Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice | 17.63% | $36,224 | $47,097 |
| Reno-Fernley | 17.52% | $36,190 | $47,053 |
| Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $36,049 | $46,868 |
Top and bottom GS-4 localities in 2025
Highest-paying areas
Lowest-paying areas
About the GS-4 pay scale
GS-4 is part of the 2025 General Schedule, the pay system used by roughly 70% of civilian white-collar federal employees. Office assistants, supply and inventory clerks, entry-level technicians and program aides.
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-4 questions for 2025
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What is the starting salary for GS-4 in 2025?
The base starting salary for GS-4 in 2025 is $30,795 at Step 1. With the highest locality adjustment in 2025 (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, 46.34%), GS-4 Step 1 can reach significantly more. -
How long does it take to reach GS-4 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-4 to GS-5?
Promotion from GS-4 to GS-5 generally requires one year of specialized experience at the GS-4 level, and a competitive selection into a GS-5 vacancy. Open the GS-5 pay scale to see the next grade's salaries. -
What is the military equivalent of GS-4?
GS-4 is roughly equivalent to E-5 Sergeant. These equivalents are approximate. The GS and military pay systems do not map one to one.